The Foundation

Upon formation of The Mason ISD Scholarship Foundation and selection of a Board of Directors, the Board’s first step was to subdivide and sell the property bequeathed to the Foundation by Mrs. Keller. The property consisted of approximately 663 acres located eight miles south of Mason on the north side of White’s Crossing on the Llano River and along both sides of Ranch Road 1871. The property also included parts of Honey Creek before it empties into the Llano River. The ranch was subdivided into eight tracts. All eight tracts had live water and ranged in size from 42 acres to 180 acres. The final parcel of the property was sold in 2019.

The funds have been invested and are working for the students of Mason ISD. The current value of the portfolio is in excess of $6.5 million dollars.  Luther King Capital Management oversees the foundation’s investments. Luther King has connections to Mason County and is vested in our local cause. Mr. King and his associates handle the day-to-day investments, and he regularly meets with the Board of Directors. He is fully supportive of the Foundation and its goals in support of our local graduates.

The governing board of the Foundation consists of no fewer than three nor more than 15 directors.  The board includes Mason ISD Designees: the elected President and Vice President of the Board of Trustees and the Mason ISD Superintendent. Currently there are four additional members of the Board of Directors who have demonstrated qualities of leadership in the community, and demonstrate an interest and expertise in raising and managing funds to promote, preserve and create programs that support the educational mission of the Mason Independent School District and further the educational interests of its students.

Presently serving as directors of the Foundation are Chad Lemke, President; Thom Canfield, Vice President, Michael Cope, Treasurer; Kathryn Martin, Secretary and Vice President of the School Board; Jim Bob Smith, President of the School Board; Dennis Hill, Interim Superintendent; Glendene Underwood, a friend of the benefactor, retired school teacher, and Scholarship Administrator. The Board is responsible for managing the investments, and funding scholarships for Mason High School graduates.

It is the goal of the Foundation to preserve the principal and enable this gift to benefit students of the community in perpetuity.  Through sound fiscal management and strong community involvement, the Foundation hopes to attract other benefactors and continue to grow the assets.  Very few communities are blessed with this kind of generous gift.  This is yet another example of what a special place Mason truly is and how important its children’s futures are to us all.

The scholarships offered by the Foundation are available to all Mason High School Seniors who have met state graduation requirements provided they meet the following conditions: First the student must be enrolled or plan to be enrolled in an approved post-secondary school of learning. This may be a four-year college or university; a community or junior college; trade, business, technical, or vocational school; seminary or other post-secondary facility that offers an academic degree, certificate, or license. Second, the student must have been enrolled in Mason High School for at least four semesters. Graduating seniors are eligible for a portion or for all the scholarship under the following tenure criteria: Students who have completed 8 semesters at MISD are eligible for 100% of the awarded scholarship, students who have completed 6 semesters are eligible for 75% of the awarded scholarship, and those who have completed 4 semesters are eligible for 50% of the awarded scholarship.

The first year, 2019, scholarships in the total amount of $30,375 were awarded to Mason High School graduates. The total awards to 2020 graduates have been $226,875 to date. The total awards to 2021 graduates have been $185,625 to date. The total awards to 2022 graduates have been $318,875 to date, and the total awards to 2023 graduates have been $200,195 to date.  Total awards to date have been $961,945.

The bequest from Geneva Keller’s Estate is the largest gift ever given to benefit Mason ISD. The Mason ISD Scholarship Foundation Board plans to continue good stewardship of this wonderful gift and to be transparent in its administration in order to inform the community about the activities of the Foundation as well as to make the scholarship awards available in perpetuity.

Although the Mason ISD Scholarship Foundation does not hold fundraisers in order to raise money, the Board welcomes and appreciates contributions from anyone interested in leaving future bequests through gifts or their estate planning.

It is important to recognize that the foundation was not named after Mrs. Keller, but named after the school. It is impossible to know her thoughts about the name, it is reasonable to assume that she wanted to start a beautiful scholarship effort in hopes that others who love Mason would follow her lead.