Endowment & Endowment Scholarships
Over the last 40+ years, the economy has had its ups and downs, and Valley’s “economy” has been no different. In order to prepare the school for any and all financial situations in the future, we started The VCS Endowment Fund on February 9, 2015, and have since added numerous funds underneath this umbrella.
An endowment fund offers donors a long-term giving opportunity, allowing financial gifts to bless the school many times over. Each year, the school is able to pull some of the net gains out of the fund, while the principal continues to grow through generous gifts.
How the VCS Endowment Fund Began
Although a school endowment fund had been discussed for years, it took a generous gift by one of the original Valley families to put the VCS Endowment Fund in motion. The family of graduate Heather Bilodeau ’88 – a member of our 3rd graduating class – maintained a passion for Christian education and for Valley Christian, and they decided to leave a legacy through a planned gift.
“Dad firmly believed in the value of Christian education and made it a priority in the household budget so that I was able to go to Christian schools from pre-school through high school,” Heather reflected. “I appreciated both his commitment to that and also the excellent level of education I received at Valley Christian.”
Thank you to the Bilodeau family for the planned gift of $27,277, which acted as the initial funding to launch the VCS Endowment Fund.
Endowment Fund Balance
as of December 2024
Endowment Scholarships
Open for application from November 1st – January 31st.
The Al Nelson Memorial Scholarship
$2,000 one-time scholarship toward college of choice.
The Bailey (Voss) Dykstra Scholarship
$1,000 one-time scholarship toward VCS tuition.
The Belinda Miller Memorial Scholarship
$2,000 one-time scholarship toward VCS tuition.
The Emily Burkert Rocha (’15) Memorial Scholarship
$2,500 one-time scholarship toward VCS tuition.
The Jessie Mae Jones Scholarship
$5,000 one-time scholarship toward VCS tuition.
The Justin Kyle Lett, “Dream Then Do, in the Name of the Lord,” Memorial Scholarship
$1,000 one-time scholarship toward VCS tuition (or college of choice).
The Multi-Student Family Scholarship
$5,000 one-time scholarship toward VCS tuition.
The Samuel Keith Gellner Memorial Scholarship
$1,500 one-time scholarship toward VCS tuition.
The Timothy John Garney Memorial Scholarship
$5,000 one-time scholarship toward VCS tuition.
The Winfrey Family STEM Scholarship
$2,000 one-time scholarship toward VCS tuition.
Please Note: In the event of over-funding in an individual’s tuition balance for the school year, scholarships and discounts are prioritized and applied as follows:
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- Courtesy discounts from VCS (multi-student, alumni, pastor, etc) may reduce tuition balance.
- STO scholarships, corporate scholarships, and ESA awards are applied to tuition balance.
- Internal financial aid (endowment scholarships, VCS financial aid) is awarded and applied.
Summer Scholarship Opportunities
The R.L. Johnson Family Foundation
$5,000 one-time scholarship toward VCS tuition.
The R.L. Johnson Family Foundation is committed to Christian education and seeks to support middle school (grades 5-8) families who need tuition assistance. VCS is grateful to Mr. R.L. Johnson and his foundation for their generosity. Now that Mr. Johnson has passed to the Lord, his family continues his legacy through this intentional and tremendous gift to families.
Other Endowments
The Dan Kuiper Master Teacher Scholarship Fund
The Palm Lane CRC Generations Scholarship
The Palm Lane CRC Generations Scholarship Fund testifies to the legacy and generosity of the people from Palm Lane Christian Reformed Church. Palm Lane CRC parishioners were consistently generous to the mission of Christian education and have demonstrated this over many years. The Palm Lane CRC Generations Scholarship Fund will ensure that this legacy is not forgotten and will continue to support Christian education.
The VCS Endowment Fund
The Valley Christian Schools Endowment testifies to the generosity of the School’s friends and alumni and their support and faith in Valley Christian Schools. The mission of the endowment fund is to support the educational mission of Valley Christian Schools by providing a reliable source of funds for current and future use.
If you would like to give a gift to any of the above scholarships, you may do so using the form below.
The form above is embedded into this webpage. This means that the entire page will not refresh after you click “Submit.” Please do not refresh your browser if you’ve pressed “Submit.” After submitting, your form will disappear and will be replaced by a “thank you” message. You may need to scroll up to see this message. If you have any questions about your transaction, please contact Kittren Johnson at [email protected].
Have a Question or Comment?
Contact Kittren Johnson in the Development Office at
Phone: (480) 705-8888 x261
Email: [email protected]
or use the contact form below.