Davenport Central senior wins $20K scholarship
In a surprise announcement, Davenport Central High School’s Samuel Bevans was awarded the 2024 Kathryn Bell Tate Scholarship on Tuesday morning.
This $20,000 scholarship is awarded to one Davenport senior each year through the Davenport Schools Foundation and is disbursed over a four-year period of undergraduate schoolwork.
It can be used at any accredited college or university.
“I am committed to achieving my goal of becoming a NASA engineer by focusing on my coursework, maintaining a strong academic record, and collaborating with other students to expand my knowledge in the field,” Bevans said in a school district release. “This award will help me pursue my bachelor’s degree at Iowa State University and will give me the best opportunity to achieve my dreams.”
He plans to attend Iowa State University in the fall pursuing a major in Aerospace Engineering with goals to become an aerospace engineer, fulfilling his passions for aviation and engineering.
“The Davenport Schools Foundation is pleased to celebrate Samuel’s academic and community service achievements by awarding this scholarship to him,” foundation executive director Sally Crino said. “The foundation oversees more than 50 scholarships and this year, we have awarded over $97,000 in scholarships to deserving seniors in the district. We are grateful to the donors who make these awards possible.”
During his Intro to Engineering course at Central High School, Bevans had the opportunity to work with a physical therapist to design and print a 3D therapy device to help a young elementary student with limited mobility have better access to technology, the district release said.
“Although I may not have changed the world with my device, I was able to make a meaningful improvement in a small way for another person,” Bevans said. “This is and always will be my goal in life.”
“We are thankful for the opportunities our students like Samuel receive through the generous philanthropic work of the Davenport Schools Foundation,” said TJ Schneckloth, Davenport Community Schools Superintendent. “Samuel’s commitment to excellence, both academically and within our community, exemplifies his dedication to his dreams and his compassion for others.”
Bevans is part of the National Honor Society, a group leader in the mentors in violence prevention program, elementary reading buddies, a member of Davenport Central leadership team, a programming captain on the robotics team, and vice president of the drama department. He spends his free time volunteering with Young Eagles, sharing his passion for aviation with younger students.
The scholarship, awarded annually by the Davenport Schools Foundation, was established in Kathryn Bell Tate’s honor in 2002 to assist the children of employees of the Davenport Public Schools in financing their undergraduate education. Tate (1906-2003) was a longtime teacher at McKinley Elementary School.
Bevans’s mother Elizabeth is a middle school math teacher at Williams Intermediate, 3040 N. Division St.
Each year, one Davenport student is awarded the Tate scholarship, and selection of recipients is based on academic achievement, extracurricular activities, moral character, and other conditions considered appropriate by the Selection Committee.
It was the largest of the 51 scholarships awarded by the foundation this year, Crino said.
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