It began with a simple question at Newport High School, one that no one realized would change hundreds of students’ lives.
In 2017, Newport High School’s College and Career Coordinator Melinda Dye approached longtime ASPIRE volunteer Ron Brocklehurst with a dilemma. A small $250 scholarship was no longer being funded. Would he, by chance, be willing to help cover it?
Ron and his wife Barbara didn’t just cover it, they transformed it. That year alone, they donated $7,000 of their own money so that seven students could receive $1,000 scholarships. What seemed like a generous one-time gift became the spark for something much bigger.
Ron, a CPA with deep ties to clients in the Los Angeles area, began sharing the stories of resilient Newport students, describing the need, and inviting others to join. The response surprised even him. “It is such a blessing,” Brocklehurst said. “It's just incredible the support we've received.”
Year after year, the momentum grew. Donations increased. More students applied. The program expanded into Toledo Jr/Sr High and Eddyville Charter. And now, just eight years after that first conversation, Rising Stars has awarded $1.6 million awarded to Lincoln County students.
Last year, the program awarded $350,000 in scholarships. The minimum scholarship has grown from $3,000 to $5,000, with top awards reaching $10,000. For many students, these amounts aren’t just symbolic awards, they help make post-secondary education a reality.
Rising Stars emphasizes access to community colleges and trade programs that can lead directly into well-paying careers. “The popularity of trade school continues to grow, with electricians being a big thing now,” Brocklehurst said. “I've also seen more females wanting to get into trade school.” Four-year university students are also supported, but the heart of the program lies in opening doors for students who might otherwise walk away from college or training simply because it felt financially out of reach. “If a kid wants to continue school, it’s going to happen,” he said.
Unlike many scholarship programs, Rising Stars has no minimum GPA requirement. Instead, it recognizes academic effort, personal resilience, and the many forms of excellence found in LCSD’s student body. Applicants submit transcripts, a resume, and an essay telling the story about the challenges they’ve faced, the obstacles they’ve overcome, and the goals they hope to achieve. Brocklehurst said some students have endured hardships most adults never experience, and for many, the application process becomes an act of reflection and courage. “It’s staggering what some of these kids have overcome,” Brocklehurst said. “It gives hope for the future. These are just great kids, really strong and resilient kids.”
The program now includes several special awards such as the R.E.A.L. Scholarships (Recognizing Excellence in Academics and Life), the Brocklehurst Grit Award, honoring students who have persevered through extraordinary adversity, and memorial scholarships honoring the lives of former students.
No one in that 2017 conversation imagined that a discontinued $250 scholarship would ignite an effort that has now invested $1.6 million into the futures of local students. But Ron Brocklehurst and Rising Stars show what can happen when one person sees potential in students and whose generosity inspires many others to join in.
And it all started with one small question: Would you be willing to help?