GOODRICH SCHOOLS – Though Ryan J. Martus died Nov. 15, 2002, his memory will live on thanks to a newly formed scholarship at Goodrich High School.
Martus, a 1990 Goodrich graduate and son of current Athletic Director and Assistant Principal Al Martus, died in a hunting accident.
He was a six-year veteran of the Flint Police Department, and had an immense love for life, according to many who knew him.
“Ryan was a heck of a young man, and he really had a love for life,” said high school counselor Geri Hammill.
The Ryan J. Martus Memorial Scholarship is a venture of love and remembrance by Martus’ family, especially his father and his wife, Tonya.
“I came up with this idea about four days after he died,” Al Martus said. “It helps me to feel that I can help someone else. I am doing this for the love of my son, I no longer have him, but will always remember him, and having this scholarship given in his name each year will help.”
The criteria for this scholarship is not unlike others, but is unique in many ways.
“The students don’t have to be a 4.0 student,” Hammill said, “but we will be looking for things like community service and strong moral values.”
Though all students who apply for the scholarship will be judged by a committee on the same criteria, more consideration will be given to students who are looking to follow Ryan Martus’ footsteps – that is to follow a career path in criminal justice.
The award will be given annually, beginning in 2003, to two graduating seniors, one male, one female. Though the amount have not been etched in stone just yet, Al Martus has mentioned a minimum of around $1,500 to be awarded.
“We will keep a base amount in the fund at all times, and scholarships will be awarded according to the amount of usable funds,” he said. “A minimum and maximum will eventually be set. If we had $20,000 to give, I would award five scholarships.”
The family of Ryan Martus is also preserving his memory through a scrapbook being made to hold information about scholarship recipients.
It is planned that this scrapbook will be on permanent display at the high school.
For the scholarship to begin, Julian Castleberry, a Goodrich resident and Martus family friend who is a businessman with Michigan Rod Products in Howell, gave an initial endowment of $1,500 in late 2002. In this spirit, endowments to the Ryan J. Martus Memorial Scholarship may be made by individuals or groups to Goodrich High School.
“Regardless of whether anyone donates, I will see to it that this scholarship is awarded to two students each year,” Al Martus said. “It’s my way of helping the kids and remembering my son.”