The Hunter Watson Memorial fund offers grants to innovate young people

  • SONIC AMAZING KID!– Levelland High School student Austin Ellis, junior, was nominated in Sonic’s Amazing Kid Contest for making an impact in the community. Austin is a National Honor Society member and the President of the Levelland Chamber’s YELL Organization. He also stays busy on the football team and in the Lobo Band. He won the Amazing Kid Contest for these reasons and for his work with Bill’s BackPacks each month. Austin is constantly working to help gather food items, prepare inventory, and prepare B
    SONIC AMAZING KID!– Levelland High School student Austin Ellis, junior, was nominated in Sonic’s Amazing Kid Contest for making an impact in the community. Austin is a National Honor Society member and the President of the Levelland Chamber’s YELL Organization. He also stays busy on the football team and in the Lobo Band. He won the Amazing Kid Contest for these reasons and for his work with Bill’s BackPacks each month. Austin is constantly working to help gather food items, prepare inventory, and prepare B
  • LMS STUDENT OF THE MONTH–Levelland Middle School eighth grade student Aztlan Rodriguez received Student of the Month for October. He was selected for having a good attitude, giving effort, taking action doing good things and showing positive leadership. (Submitted Photo)
    LMS STUDENT OF THE MONTH–Levelland Middle School eighth grade student Aztlan Rodriguez received Student of the Month for October. He was selected for having a good attitude, giving effort, taking action doing good things and showing positive leadership. (Submitted Photo)
  • LMS STUDENT OF THE MONTH–Levelland Middle School seventh grade student Brook’Lyn Cornish was selected for having a good attitude, giving effort, taking positive action and showing positive leadership. She received Student of the Month in August. (Submitted Photo)
    LMS STUDENT OF THE MONTH–Levelland Middle School seventh grade student Brook’Lyn Cornish was selected for having a good attitude, giving effort, taking positive action and showing positive leadership. She received Student of the Month in August. (Submitted Photo)

    There are a lot of young people with new ideas, enthusiasm and passion, but without the financial means to change their dreams into reality. The Hunter Watson Memorial Fund is now offering grants to help support these young innovators. Founded in memory of Hunter Brooks Watson, a college sophomore who died as a passenger in a distracted driving accident. The Memorial Fund offers grants of up to $5,000 to provide young men and women between the ages of 16 and 25 without the financial means to take their ideas and dreams to the next step. The deadline for the next grant cycle is November 15, 2022 and the Fund is encouraging young people to submit their applications as soon as possible.

    There is no cost or obligation to apply. Applications are evaluated by a committee looking for innovative ideas in a variety of areas, including music, the performing arts, computer technology and entrepreneurship.

    In recent grant cycles the Memorial Fund has helped finance new Internet and cell phone apps, music and performance projects, audio and video recording, and expansion of online businesses.

    Grant applicants need not be in school and the grants are not scholarships nor intended to cover tuition costs. The grants are direct financial support for a young innovator’s project and come with the help of a mentor to help the grant winner move his or her project forward.

    Further information, and the grant application itself, is available online at hunterwatson.org/grants.

    The application deadline for the current grant cycle is November 15 and June 15.

    The Hunter Watson Memorial Fund (Hunter’s Fund) was created to help young people with promising ideas who could not pursue them without some financial assistance, and in their fifth year, we have funded over 60 grants and awards to promising students.

    Hunter’s Fund also funds safe driving programs on more than 50 campuses so students can sign Hunter’s Pledge not to drive distracted.

    Hunter Watson died as a passenger in a distracted driving accident as he was to begin his Junior year at Syracuse University.

    More information about Hunter’s Fund can be found on their website at: www.hunterwatson.org.