Scholarship established in Wharton Township supervisor’s honor
Jim Means has been a Wharton Township supervisor for more than 30 years, and while his career will come to an end this fall, his legacy will live on in a new scholarship established in his name.
The Fayette County Association of Township Supervisors awarded the first Jim Means Scholarships recently, doling out $500 awards to four deserving students in the county.
鈥淚t鈥檚 great. It鈥檚 quite an honor,鈥� Means said. 鈥淭he supervisors from Fayette County, they鈥檙e tremendous people. I鈥檝e got a great bunch of guys that work with me; there鈥檚 a great group of people there.鈥�
Means said Perry Township Supervisor A.J. Boni posed the idea for a scholarship during an association meeting.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just something we needed to do,鈥� Boni said.
He explained that the supervisors of the county鈥檚 24 townships are out among their communities all the time, getting to know people and their circumstances.
鈥淭hey knew there was a need,鈥� Boni said. 鈥淭hey see the need to help the kids coming out of high school.鈥�
Boni said the association wanted to create a scholarship that didn鈥檛 benefit only traditional academic disciplines, but also recognized students learning trades. The Jim Means Scholarships recognize two students at Fayette County high schools, as well as one student from each of the county鈥檚 two technical schools 鈥� Fayette County Career and Technical Institute and Connellsville Area Career and Technical Center.
Earning scholarships this year were Connellsville Area High School graduate Jocelyn Gratchic; Uniontown Area High School graduate Lucas Moody; Connellsville Area Career and Technical Center graduate Brett Lancaster; and Fayette County Career and Technical Institute graduate Riley Jenkins, who attended Laurel Highlands High School.
Means said next year鈥檚 scholarships will again honor a student from each of the technical schools, but winners will be chosen from different high schools.
鈥淲e have two technical trade schools in Fayette County, and we have six high schools,鈥� Means said. 鈥淪o, we鈥檇 like to do two different school districts every year.鈥�
He said the scholarship winners are chosen by the school districts.
Boni said naming the awards in Means鈥� honor was an easy decision.
鈥淥ur association wouldn鈥檛 be what it is without Jim Means,鈥� he said, noting that Means stands out even among the many hard-working association members.
鈥淗e鈥檚 one of the leaders. He beats the drum every day for our association, to make it work,鈥� Boni said. 鈥淗e works really hard to make our yearly Fayette County convention one of the best in the state.鈥�
Boni said everyone knows Means, and Means said the people are his favorite part of his job.
Means won鈥檛 run for re-election this fall, and he expects he will miss being a township supervisor.
鈥淵ou know it,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 always put my heart and soul into whatever I do.鈥�
In addition to spending more time with family, Means said he anticipates he will stay busy helping out anyone who might be in need of a hand.
鈥淚 plan on helping other people do some work. I鈥檝e got lots I can do to keep me busy,鈥� he said.