Jim Ross Aspiring Educator Scholarship

To support entry into the teaching profession, this scholarship is funded annually by contributions to the Franklin Pierce Foundation in honor of Jim Ross, former teacher and Executive Director of the Foundation.

A Scholarship award is made to a graduating senior of Franklin Pierce High School who intends to pursue a career in teaching. In addition to the scholarship, the Superintendent of Franklin Pierce Schools guarantee any recipient of this scholarship an interview for an open position once they complete their program and certification.

• Must be a graduating senior of the Franklin Pierce High School.
• Preference is to be given to a graduating senior intending to pursue a career in teaching.
• If no eligible graduate intends to pursue a career in teaching then the scholarship may be awarded to an eligible graduate pursuing a career in another education profession, including, but not limited to, school counseling and educational services associates.
• Must have documented active involvement in service to the community.
• The recipient must be a person of integrity and good moral character.

The Franklin Pierce High School’s scholarship committees will select the recipient and an alternate. The scholarship shall be awarded to the alternate if the primary award winner does not meet the requirements of the scholarship.

Mr. Jim Ross was born and raised in Sedro-Woolley, WA. However, his roots run deeply in the Franklin Pierce School District. Following his graduation in Parkland’s own Pacific Lutheran University in 1968, Jim was offered a teaching position at Franklin Pierce High School. His older brother Bob Ross had already been a successful teacher and coach at Franklin Pierce High School for 12 years prior. Bob moved to the new Washington High where he was a teacher, counselor, and basketball coach. For the next 42 years, Jim went on to make a name for himself as an outstanding teacher of geology, biology, environmental science, algebra, chemistry, and physics. He was also a Park Ranger for the National Park Service at Mount Rainier during the summers of his teaching career.

His involvement with athletics at FPHS began as a tennis coach, clock operator, and finally as the FPHS announcer for boys and girls basketball, wrestling, football, and track. Over the many years and until 2014, his deep melodious voice became a staple of FPHS athletics and Jim became known throughout the State as “The Voice of the Cardinals.” The gym at Franklin Pierce HS has been appropriately named in his honor.

For decades, Mr. Ross chaired the FPHS Scholarship Committee. His ability to help the committee nominate, select, and disperse scholarships to deserving students became a hallmark and passion. Upon his retirement from teaching in 2010, then Superintendent Dr.
Frank Hewins asked Jim if he would like to follow that passion and broaden his efforts by becoming the (volunteer) Executive Director of the Franklin Pierce Foundation. Mr. Ross graciously accepted and the rest is history. For 12 years, Jim led the FP Foundation during
good economic times, shaky economic times, and through the uncertain times of the COVID-19 Pandemic. During that period the number and value of scholarships awarded to Franklin Pierce School District seniors has grown tremendously. His service to our students is unsurpassed.

It is with these things in mind that the Board of Directors for the Franklin Pierce Foundation has named this scholarship for aspiring educators in his honor.

• Receipt of a completed Scholarship Acceptance Form will hold this scholarship for the student. The scholarship can be held no longer than 16 months after June 30th of the year of graduation from high school.
• Upon receipt of Proof of Enrollment Form including a student ID number, funds will be released to the institution in the name of the student.