Family begins foundation in honor of late Sandia High baseball coach
Dec. 19—A foundation honoring a former Sandia High School baseball coach has been created.
The Chris Eaton Foundation will present its first scholarship award in June, with one or possibly two local students receiving financial assistance for college or a vocational school starting in the fall of 2024.
In the spring, senior student athletes in any varsity sport at one of Albuquerque Public Schools' 13 high schools can apply for this scholarship.
It is named for Chris Eaton, who died in November 2022. He was 35.
"This is something that my family and I, we wanted to honor Chris in some way," said Michael Eaton, Chris' brother. "It took us a year for us to even get to the point where we could even think about doing something like this."
Applicants must be high school seniors who participate in at least one varsity-level sport at an APS high school. They must also have at least a 3.2 GPA.
"First and foremost, Chris valued education," Michael Eaton said. "That was the biggest piece of it, trying to help out the kids. We wanted to find a way to give back to them. That was the most important thing and that really birthed the foundation."
Family and friends have chipped in with money to begin the scholarship fund, but it is seeking charitable contributions going forward in order to fund scholarships in future years.
The scholarship fund will have $10,000 in it next year. It has not yet been determined if one or two students will receive help. That will be determined by a committee.
Anyone interested in contributing to the scholarship fund should do so through the APS Education Foundation. Donations will not only fund the scholarship but help people who are experiencing mental health issues.
Information on how to donate can be found at chriseatonfoundation.org. The website also describes in detail the requirements and criteria for the athletes who wish to apply.
Applications will be accepted — a video presentation is also required — from March 1 through May 30.
