Timothy C. Wheelis Memorial Scholarship
Scholarship Amount:
- Two $1,500 scholarships are awarded annually to Marina High School seniors who will be attending an accredited school (college, trade, vocational) upon graduation, and is based on verification of school enrollment.
Due Date:
- Friday, April 26, 2024.
Background:
This scholarship program honors the memory of Timothy Wheelis, a middle school teacher whose greatest joy was observing the achievements – both small and large – of his students. He was always available for mentorship in and out of the classroom. He also devised activities for students to enjoy during lunch breaks, e.g., a radio-controlled car club. Not only did he manage the club, he also personally supplied materials and parts for students who could not afford them.
During the mid-1990s, as computers and typewritten homework were becoming the norm, he realized that many of his students’ families did not have the resources to purchase a home PC. He built and gave away computers to any student who needed one. He also equipped his own classroom with computers for students to use during school hours.
The Timothy C. Wheelis Memorial Scholarship is funded privately and with named donations to TMF.
Eligibility & Application Requirements:
- Student must have a minimum 2.8 grade point average (GPA).
- Student must be a graduating senior, attending Marina High School (MaHS).
- A completed application.
- An official copy of the student’s transcripts showing the GPA.
- At least one letter of recommendation from a faculty or staff member at MaHS.
- A one-page response to the question: “How has your education contributed to who you are today and what you want to do in the future?” Essays should be typewritten and should include a heading that contains the applicant’s name, address, and telephone number.
Community Service will be given extra consideration in awarding these scholarships.
You will be able to apply for five different Marina High School scholarships with this one common application HERE.
Applications are due by Friday, April 26, 2024.
Past Recipients
About Timothy Wheelis
Timothy Wheelis began his teaching career at Fitch Junior High School (now Seaside Middle School) in 1971, teaching ninth-grade students from both Marina and Ft. Ord in English and drama. He transferred to Los Arboles Middle school in the mid-nineteen eighties, where he taught seventh grade social studies, and occasionally math and computer science courses. Almost every student who attended Los Arboles Middle School, from the time of Tim’s transfer until his retirement in 2003, had Mr. Wheelis as their seventh grade social studies instructor. For his entire teaching career, Tim taught students from Marina.
Timothy’s greatest joy in teaching was observing the achievements—both small and large—of his students. He believed that every student could thrive and he did what he could to encourage their success. Tim was available for mentorship in and out of the classroom. He shared his academic interests with his students, and helped to nurture and incorporate the students’ interests into their studies. He encouraged students to make the connections between their interests, their life, and the history they were learning.
Timothy strived to engage his students in their learning experience, and to demonstrate that learning can be fun. He also shared his hobby and recreational interests, particularly the joy of building with his hands—model cars, computers, fly fishing gear, cooking. He supplemented his course curriculum with experimental studies; his Maya and Aztec curriculums included tasting traditional Meso American foods. Outside of the classroom, Tim devised activities for students to enjoy during lunch breaks, including a radio-controlled car club. Students built and raced cars on school grounds. Tim made sure all interested students were included in these noon activities, and he personally supplied materials and parts for students in need. During the mid nineteen-nineties, as computers and type written homework were becoming the norm, Tim realized that many of his students’ families did not have the resources to purchase a home PC. Tim built and gifted computers for students in need, and supplied his own classroom with computers for students to use during school hours.
Timothy was a lifelong student, whether it was for his vocation, his recreation, or for the joy of learning. He remained a teacher and mentor even after his retirement, helping young relatives, adult and youthful neighbors, and former students as they pursued their initial or re-entry education. It is in the spirit of supporting learning and mentorship that Tim’s family established the Timothy C. Wheelis Memorial Scholarship after his death in 2019.
