Jennifer Miles had a lot of memorable qualities, but the one that stands out the most to her fellow teachers at McNamara Elementary is her smile.
“It was contagious,” recalled fifth-grade teacher Luke Smith. “I’ll always remember it.”
Fourth-grade teacher Sue Allen agreed.
“She always had a smile on her face — and one to share,” Allen said. “She was full of life.”
Miles, who started at McNamara as a teaching assistant and eventually taught second, fourth and fifth grades there, was killed April 24, 2014, while traveling on I-690 in Van Buren. She was traveling westbound when a wheel fell off a boat trailer, bounced over the median and struck the roof of her 2013 Kia Sportage. She died on impact, leaving behind her husband, Greg, and a young son, Logan.
June 14 at Foxfire Golf Course, Baldwinsville
Noon shotgun start
Captain and crew teams for $360 (includes lunch and steak and bake dinner; $35 for dinner only)
Checks can be made payable to:
Jennifer Miles Scholarship Fund
7558 New Route 31
Baldwinsville, NY 13027
For more information, including sponsorship information, contact Sean Murphy at [email protected] or Luke Smith at [email protected].
To memorialize the beloved teacher, Miles’ fellow educators created the Jennifer Miles Memorial Scholarship Fund, which will give one $1,000 scholarship to a graduating Baker High School senior.
“Our goal is to raise enough money in this scholarship to fund to give multiple Baldwinsville students scholarships for years to come,” Smith said.
Ultimately, Smith, a member of the committee organizing the tournament said he hopes the scholarship will be awarded to a McNamara alum, maybe one Miles herself taught, who plans to pursue a career in education.
“These are lofty goals,” Smith admitted. “However, we are hoping, with the support of the Baldwinsville community, we will be able to numerous students offset the increasing costs of higher education.”
Golf Committee member Sean Murphy, whose wife Courtney taught with Miles, said he believes the scholarship is in keeping with Miles’ mission as a teacher.
“We know that helping students succeed is something she dedicated her life to doing,” he said. “Providing scholarships for graduating seniors allows Jenn’s legacy to live on and give back to her students even after she has passed.”
The scholarship will be awarded at Baldwinsville’s annual Moving Up Day.
This year’s scholarship will be funded with the help of a golf tournament to be held June 14 at Foxfire Golf Club in Baldwinsville. The tournament kicks off with a shotgun start at noon.
Murphy said the tournament seemed like an ideal way to fill the scholarship fund’s coffers.
“A golf tournament is a good way to bring together a large number of people for a day of fun,” he said. “Several of the members of the planning committee are golfers and have played in a number of golf tournaments, so it felt like a good opportunity to pursue.”
Organizers are also accepting monetary donations in any amount, as well as items for raffles and gift baskets. They’re also seeking corporate sponsors at all levels; contact Smith or Murphy for more information.
While the ultimate goal of the tournament is to raise money for the scholarship fund, organizers also hope it will remind the community of the dedicated, caring educator taken from them too soon.
“People will smile when her name is mentioned,” said fellow fourth-grade teacher Deborah Hitchcock. “We hope they always remember that we should treat others the way that Jenn treated us. Her students will always remember her kindness and her uncanny ability to make the gloomiest situation so much better. She was truly a wonderful friend and educator.”
