A founder retires, legacy will continue

One of the original members and founders of the Granite Education Foundation, Scott Whipple, decided it was time to retire from his position of executive director on July 1 after 23 years with the foundation and 42 years with the Granite School District.

Whipple, along with the volunteer board of 12 members, had a vision of helping students in need by getting area businesses and communities involved in their local school district, a program that universities had successfully run for years.

“I have loved working with the foundation; the people involved is the reason for its success,” Whipple said. “Many great people volunteer their time, money and energy.”

Currently, there are 35 volunteer board members with the foundation and more than 350 local businesses who contribute to the Granite District schools. And although Whipple is retiring from his official position, he will serve on the committee that honors outstanding teachers in the district with the Excel Award.

“I am retiring with a deep feeling of gratitude,” Whipple said. “We all love children and the teachers. We started so humbly and today we have 15 programs in place to bless the needs of children.”

Those programs include purchasing eyeglasses, winter coats, shoes, backpacks and bus passes. Whipple said when the foundation becomes aware of a need the members pride themselves on being able to respond to it within 48 hours. Whipple feels the board members who give of their time and talents are the heart and soul of the foundation, and he is the most proud of being associated with them. The feeling seems to be mutual.

“Scott brought a fledgling, brand new foundation up from the grassroots to ultimately be one of the most noted, stellar education foundations in the nation,” Granite Education Foundation Board of Directors member Mary Kammeyer said. “His focus first and foremost was always the well-being of children and educators. He never did anything without first considering the impact it would have on them. Children spend more time in their first 18 years of life with their teachers than they do with their parents, and Scott recognizes that without assistance from the private sector, parents, businesses and individuals, our civilization will gradually erode, then crumble. The future of this nation is built on the education of our children.”

Whipple plans to spend more time with his wife of 35 years, Susan, his nine children and 19 grandchildren—the heart of his heart, he said. But as someone who loves children and education, Whipple will continue to tutor students at Lincoln Elementary in South Salt Lake while he learns Spanish in his spare time.