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Robert “Bob” Schick Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund

Established 2020

This fund was created in memory of Robert ‘’Bob’’ Schick (1930-2020), a former high school and college athlete who became a long-serving and influential teacher, coach, and administrator, not to mention mentor and second father figure to innumerable high school students. The fund was endowed in 2021.

The scholarship is awarded to students graduating from Geneva High School who participated for at least two years as a member of the boys basketball team at Geneva, are actively involved in their church’s youth activities/mission/outreach, and who plan to attend an accredited post-secondary institution within the United States of America on a full-time basis.

In 1953, Bob was hired as a math and science teacher at Geneva Middle School before eventually transitioning to Geneva High School. During his career at the high school, Bob held many leadership positions including Head Football Coach (1957-1963), Department Head for Physical Education (1965-1974), Athletic Director (1965-1980), and Boys Varsity Basketball Coach (1969-1980). His favorite role, however, was as assistant coach to Mel Johnson when the 1962-63 Geneva Boys Basketball team made it downstate. His pride of that team and their accomplishment was something he would carry with him for the rest of his life. Fittingly, in 2004, Bob was inducted into the Geneva High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

Bob and Joyce, his wife of 65 years, raised their five children in Geneva. They were pillars of their community, charter members of Faith Lutheran Church in Geneva, and later active members of Lord of Life Lutheran Church (LaFox) and Immanuel Lutheran Church (Batavia). During his time at the high school, Bob also led the local chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and led several student-athlete caravans to the annual FCA conference in Fort Collins, Colorado.

After teaching in the Geneva school system for more than 33 years, he served as Assistant Principal and coach at Valley Lutheran High School (St. Charles, Elgin, and Roselle), and during retirement was the Assistant Women’s basketball coach at Aurora University and later held the same position at Benedictine University in Lisle. Bob’s retirement also included plenty of golf, fitness, medaling in several Senior Olympic events held across the country, reading, doting on his nine grandchildren, and trips with his family to Long Lake in Phelps, Wisconsin.

The creation of the fund is intended to honor and extend the legacy of Bob Schick through students who intend to follow a similar path of dedicating FAITH, COMMITMENT, INTEGRITY, HARD WORK, and LOVE to their respective goals.

YEP has made me realize the importance of being involved in my community, and how to make a difference. There are a lot of problems in the world but if we can do everything that we can to help the world will become a better place. YEP has helped me realize this and encouraged me to help more people in the future.

Madi Porter

YEP Member

I am incredibly grateful for the generosity of the Zari Foundation Scholarship and the Community Foundation in supporting my education. I am majoring in mechanical engineering with a concentration in aerospace engineering at the Rose-Hulman Institue of Technology. In my spare time, I volunteer on campus, in the community and I’m also the principal violist in the symphony orchestra. I hope to make an impact on the next chapter of space exploration by eventually working at a groundbreaking aerospace company such as SpaceX or NASA.

Taytum Newell

Albert M. Zari Scholarship Recipient

Grant funds from the Community Foundation helped provide updated technology. These upgrades were transformative. By creating new time saving processes, it turned us into a more efficient organization.

Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry

Grantee

Being a part of the Community Foundation scholarship committee is the highlight of my year. For many, a scholarship from the CFFRV is the reason they are able to continue reaching for their dreams and changing the future of our world. I hope each recipients knows just how inspirational they are to those of us who are lucky enough to read their stories.

Jessica Breugelmans

Scholarship Committee Member and Board Member

YEP was a great experience to have in high school. I became a more confident person, someone with a lot more perspective. Coming from a small school, YEP allowed me to branch out into my community, meet students from other schools, and learn about their backgrounds. I made some great friends and still keep in touch with them today.

Abby Vagnoni

YEP Alumni

Give your gift of time and see what it means to the people you impact. Helping others is what life is all about.

Neal Ormond

Donor & Fund Advisor

Education is important to us. We support causes that touch our lives and align with our values. We believe in paying it forward. We are here for a short time,, and it is the next generation that will take on what we leave behind.

Michelle Emanuel

Donor and Past Scholarship Recipient

Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley

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