Background

The Timothy Ryan Jenks Memorial Scholarship (TRJMS) is established to recognize passionate students of high character and to assist those students in the pursuit of excellence outside of the normal school curriculum, such as music, sports, or club-related activities.

Timothy Jenks (August 28, 2000-June 26, 2014) was an enthusiastic student of Ames Middle School who participated in band, orchestra, SATB choir, cross country, and track.  Timothy had a passion for learning and curiosity as strong as that of anyone.  He was known for doing his best — however good that was — and for pushing others around him to do the same.  He played soccer with the Ames Soccer Club since kindergarten and had become a poised young referee.  Timothy swam for the Ames Cyclone Aquatics club and set its club record for 1500 m freestyle in the 11-12 age group in July, 2012.  He competed in regional and national level youth triathlons; he died while trying to make him self better in an accident that occurred while learning new cycling skills for Youth Elite triathlon racing.

The Jenks family and its many friends who have contributed to his memorial fund hope this scholarship will encourage other middle school students to live full lives and pursue their aspirations, both by directly assisting its awardees and by inspiring those who know them.

Eligibility and Criteria

The award will be given annually in the spring to one or more students who are in the 8th grade at Ames Middle School.*  This is the sole eligibility requirement.  The Jenks family feels strongly that middle school is a time of personal development, and its primary goal is to recognize students who are working to be their best, whatever and whenever that may be.   Students, athletes, and musicians who are the most excellent are usually among the most dedicated, but many of the most dedicated are not among the best, especially at this age.  The primary criteria for selection of the awardee shall be evidence of strong character and passion for the applicant's chosen extracurricular activities.  Secondary criteria may include excellence, financial need, and academic record.

*Home-schooled students in the Ames School District are also eligible.

The Award

It is the intent of the award that it be spent within a year by the recipient's family in pursuit of the recipient's passion, but the award will be given up front as a scholarship, and not on a cost reimbursement basis.

In 2024, the awards will be $1200 and the recipient will additionally receive a commemorative plaque.  We expect to give two awards in 2024.  A suitable public announcement will be made at a time and location to be arranged. In previous years, we have been able to announce it at the AMS 8th grade celebration, and we hope to continue with that tradition.

Nominations (Use the form below!)

Nominations shall come directly from teachers, coaches, directors, etc (hereafter called "instructors").  The student need not apply.  

An instructor may separately nominate as many students as s/he wishes.  A student may be nominated by multiple instructors (and all such nominations will be considered as part of the student's portfolio).

We prefer that nominations be made using the electronic submission form below.  The form does not accept attachments.  If an attachment is required, please submit a nomination form and separately send the attachment by email to thetimfoundation@gmail.com, clearly stating the nominee's name in the subject line.

Regarding nominations, we suggest the following guidelines:

• A good length for your letter may be near 1000 words, but write what you see fit and do not feel bound by a specific length.

• Nominations are strongest if they address the criteria listed above with examples. Address evidence of passion, or examples of character. Does the candidate dedicate him/herself extraordinarily to one activity or do they participate in several? If there are special circumstances of academic excellence or need, please mention them.

• If you are nominating someone you know to participate in other activities, please at least mention those activities in your letter.

• If you are nominating someone you know to participate in other activities, please consider contacting the "instructor" of that other activity and suggest that s/he also nominate your candidate.

Nominations for 2024 will be open through the month of April, 2024.

Grow the award

Donations to the Timothy Ryan Jenks Memorial Fund go straight to the endowment that funds the TRJMS, and every dollar of its proceeds goes to the award.  Donations to the Memorial Fund are tax deductible AND qualify for a special Endow Iowa 25% tax CREDIT on your Iowa income taxes. The fund is administered by the Story County Community Foundation and instructions on how to get the tax credit will be given to every donor.

Donate to the fund by credit card

You may also donate by check: Mail to Story County Community Foundation, PO Box 1666, Ames IA 50010.  Make checks out to Story County Community Foundation, with "Timothy Ryan Jenks Memorial Fund" in the memo line.

If you are an organization wishing to donate that cannot take advantage of the tax credit, please contact us.

Our winners

The inaugural TRJMS recipient in 2015 and our winners have been male and female, inovolved in sports and the arts.  Learn more about them on our recipients page.

Our Donors

We are extremely grateful to all the donors who helped us set up the endowed TRJMS.  We tried to keep records accurately but we may have missed some donors records in the first days after the accident, and we were blessed to receive a number of cash donations that we cannot attribute properly.  Please contact us if we have left your name off or you would like to be listed differently.