PHOENIX — Two scholarships have been set up at Combs USD in honor of Preston Lord, a high school student who died after being brutally beaten at a Halloween party in 2023.
The scholarships are for $1,000 each. One is for students with an emphasis on academic excellence and the other looks to reward educational or personal perseverance with a focus on overcoming adversity, according to the district.
"As Preston's mother, I have chosen to establish priority support to Preston's legacy through what Preston embodied -his school, his sports and studies, and his friends," a post on the Justice4PrestonLord Facebook page said. "I have established two scholarships at Combs USD, the place where Preston began his studies and was well on his way to graduate with honors."
The scholarships allow the district and his family to continue Preston's legacy of generosity.
"Preston was a young man who brought so much kindness, joy, laughter, and humor into so many lives. Although he never talked much about death with his family, intuition indicates he would want to be supportive of his peers and aide (sic) in their successes," the district said in a statement on its website. "Preston’s generosity and love will never be forgotten. Please allow us to honor him and help pave the way for further educational accomplishments."
Donations to support the scholarships can be made to the Combs Education Foundation by clicking here.
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