Sue Handy Scholarship 2023

The Springfield Education Association (SEA) is offering a scholarship for students who plan to pursue a career in public school teaching.  The scholarship is open to any graduating senior who has attended a District #186 high school for at least one year, or to a student whose parent or legal guardian is an employee of District #186, provided the student is enrolled in a public school.

The scholarship is designed to assist a deserving student who plans to become a public school teacher.  Students chosen for the scholarship(s) will receive $2,500 payable over four years with a copy of their transcripts and/or proof of enrollment.

All applicant packets must be submitted to Springfield Education Association, Attn: Scholarship Committee,  3440 Liberty Drive, Springfield, IL 62704 by March 31, 2023.

Finalists should be available to be interviewed on April 27, 2023, by representatives of the SEA Scholarship Committee.  Scholarship recipients/continuants will be announced by the end of May 2023 or at the recipients’ Awards Assembly, if applicable.

The scholarship was instituted in honor of Sue Handy, a Springfield educator who taught at Butler Elementary for many years. Sue wanted to encourage students to become teachers and had dreamed of creating such a scholarship. Before she was able to put it in place, she lost her battle with cancer. The scholarship was instituted in honor of Sue Handy, and had been continued under the auspices of the SEA.

Please consider donating to the Sue Handy Scholarship Fund

Please consider donating to the Sue Handy Scholarship Fund. The scholarship provides financial assistance for students who are majoring in education.  Donations can be made by completing the Sue Handy Scholarship Payroll Deduction Form and returning to the SEA office.

“Sue Handy was a special person, friend and teacher. Wherever she went & whatever she was doing, she did it with warmth, love, and laughter. I taught first graders at the same school with Sue for several years. She was an inspiration to see her in action. Her enthusiasm showed that she enjoyed teaching very much and was wildly effective in motivating the children. A person often could hear her laughter coming from her classroom as she was cheering a student for doing well. The children in her classroom felt her love for them… absolutely. Sue would be humbled knowing that a scholarship would be named after her. She would have a good laugh.”

– Linda Johnson-Kabisch, retired SEA member, teacher and friend of Sue Handy.