MOUNT VERNON, Wash – 33 kids planning on going to college received the Ethan’s Smile Foundation Scholarship, in memory of Ethan Chapin.
$50,000, combined, was awarded to the students Thursday, May 16 at Conway School in Mount Vernon, WA, which is where Ethan attended school.
“We had to do some soul-searching about how we were going to honor this kid (Ethan). He deserved it. We needed to figure out how to do it, and so we started talking about the things that Ethan loved,” Stacy Chapin, Ethan’s mother said Monday.
Ethan loved Conway School and the University of Idaho, according to Stacy.
“That’s when it became very clear that this was going to have to (be) scholarships in his memory,” Stacy said.
Of the 33 kids awarded, to Maggie DeVries who grew up with Ethan, it was an incredible honor.
“It gives hope for the future, moving forward with everything and it’s nice,” Maggie DeVries, Conway student and future University of Idaho student said.
A future for these 33 students in memory of Ethan, all because of the generous support from people from all across the country. Many people donated both big and small, according to Stacy.
“I have a woman who sends me the remainder of her paycheck every month, which is like $2, and I never want to not think that that donation isn’t as important as the largest donations,” Stacy said.
It goes to show just how many lives Ethan touched.
NonStop Local’s John Webb asked Stacy what Ethan would’ve thought about all of this.
“We had a motto in our family that was go big or go home. So, honestly, Ethan would not be surprised by this. It honestly follows the way we operate our family. If we’re going to do something, let’s knock it out of the park and I feel like we’ve done that here. But he would not be surprised at the effort that we have put into something that is amazing and in his name,” Stacy replied.
At Thursday’s ceremony, everyone honored Ethan and the kids heading to college in Ethan’s name. Everyone got swag bags as well, according to Stacy.
“The last time that we were with Ethan was parent’s weekend in the fall of 2022, and it had snowed. We met for lunch on Friday at Mad Greek because Xana was working. He (Ethan) showed up. The other two kids (Ethan’s brother and sister) are in appropriate snow footwear. You know how Moscow gets. He (Ethan) shows up in his tennies and his socks are wet,” Stacy recalled.
So a dry pair of socks had to be included in the swag bags, as well as a gift certificate and a gold tee. All things that Ethan enjoyed.
“I’m more than honored to even be getting this scholarship. On one of the questions it says ‘how much money would help you?’ And I put nothing. I didn’t put anything. Just getting a scholarship in his name is awesome,” DeVries said.
If you would like to donate to the Ethan’s Smile Foundation, click this link.
