Dear Editor,

The Scioto Foundation started the UCAN program in 2007 to respond to the need for students from Scioto County to have the resources to attend college. Since that time I feel that in the Clay Local School District the funds and, most importantly, the leadership of the Scioto Foundation have helped achieve some remarkable results.

UCAN has supported the creation and expansion of Advanced Placement class offerings in county schools and established a one-stop on-line scholarship locator for graduating seniors, and a marketing campaign to encourage parents and grandparents to participate in college saving plans.

Perhaps the greatest achievement of our collaboration has been the joining forces of the Clay Alumni Association, our community, and the Clay Local School District into one organization, the Clay Legacy Fund. The Clay Legacy Fund has one simple objective, to provide college scholarships to Clay Graduates.

Through the efforts of Kim Cutlip from the Scioto Foundation and Charley Leonard of our Clay Alumni Association, the Clay community has begun to understand the great financial need faced by many students from our community who strive to obtain a college degree. To the great credit of many people in our community, awareness of the needs of our students has created a real sense of urgency to assist our students.

Perhaps no greater testament to the success of UCAN is the increase in the number of scholarships that Clay graduates have received over the last 10 years. In the early part of the last decade the Alumni Association was able to give several scholarships to deserving students. In 2012 The Alumni Association and the Clay Schools Legacy fund handed out sixteen $1,000 scholarships to Clay Graduates.

Thank you, Kim Cutlip, The Scioto Foundation, and UCAN. You are truly making a difference in this community.

Todd Warnock

Principal

Clay High School