The Bandera ISD Education Foundation received a $300,000 donation on May 21 during its annual meeting — a contribution designated to support career and technical education (CTE) programs for local students pursuing trades.
The donation comes from the Ruth F. Phillips Perpetual Scholarship Trust and was presented by David and Cynthia Hoff. Cynthia, a Bandera High School alumna, was appointed trustee of the scholarship earlier this year.
She and her husband worked with the Foundation to ensure the funds would continue Ruth Phillips’ legacy of supporting students entering trade careers after graduation.
In the fall of 2024, the Hoffs began discussions with the Foundation’s executive committee to determine whether the nonprofit could become the new steward of the scholarship.
By January, the Education Foundation was officially selected as the recipient of the funds.
“We are so incredibly grateful, excited, and honored to have been chosen to be stewards of this amazing gift,” Foundation leaders said in a statement. “This will make a huge impact for so many students in our district.”
The Foundation plans to establish a dedicated grant process to allocate the funds directly to Bandera ISD’s CTE programs.
The goal is to ensure students pursuing skilled trades such as welding, electrical, mechanics, and health sciences have the tools and resources they need to succeed.
Phillips, for whom the original scholarship was named, had a passion for helping students find their path through hands-on careers. The new fund aims to keep that vision alive by investing in future generations of Bandera tradespeople.
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