Students who show kindness, compassion and caring are the students who stick out in the applications for the Kelli Joy O’Laughlin scholarships. After Kelli’s murder, the Kelli Joy O’Laughlin Memorial Foundation was started to give students like Kelli college scholarships.

The foundation began in 2012 when Kelli passed away, with the first scholarship awarded seven months after Kelli’s death. The objective of the scholarship was to help Kelli be remembered in the best way possible.

“Everyone asked us the same question, ‘What can I do?’ There’s not really a good answer to this question when you lose a child,”John O’Laughlin, Kelli’s father, said. “No one can bring a child back. That’s what we really wanted. So, instead, we wanted Kelli to be remembered. To keep Kelli’s memory alive and do good work in her name. To that end we asked people who wanted to help, to donate to her scholarship fund.”

Every year there are between 100 and 300 scholarship applicants. The applicants have to play a sport for at least three of the four years of high school, compose a 500 word essay described on the application and get two recommendations from a coach/teacher /community sponsor. Since the inception of the KJO Memorial Scholarship in 2012, they have awarded 75 scholarships with a total value of $537,500. This alone year the foundation offered ten scholarships with a total value of $96,000.

“The high cost of college is really hitting everyone,” LT College Coordinator Lianne Musser said.

According to Musser, many students in this community don’t typically think about the cost of college until they get accepted and then they realize that they need financial aid. The increasing cost of college is affecting many students.

Local donors such as the O’Laughlins are a large part of the community because they change many students’ lives, Musser said.

“It has really grown into an amazing foundation,” she said.

After the applications are submitted a committee of  at least six people review the applications. They look for people who have similar values that Kelli had kindness, compassion and caring. The foundation also looks for students who have a “eye toward involvement in the community”.

The purpose of the scholarship is to aid kids going to college but also keep Kelli’s memory alive.

“Kelli never wanted anyone left behind and would want everyone to fulfill their dreams,” her dad said.

The foundation will always be working toward its goal of spreading joy, impacting students’ lives and remembering Kelli. The scholarship deadline for this year was Feb. 13. And the winners will be announced the first week of march.

“In the future, we hope that the scholarship recipients will join the foundation in future fundraising events to “Spread Joy”  in helping others to be able to fulfill their potential just like they were able to,” Kelli’s father said.