Grove City College Establishes Home School Leadership Scholarship

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Grove City College Establishes Christopher J. Klicka ’82 Home School Leadership Scholarship

GROVE CITY, Pa. (Grove City College) December 21, 2009 — On October 12, 2009, Grove City College 1982 alumnus and Home School Legal Defense Association senior counsel and director of state and international Relations with 24 years of service, Christopher J. Klicka, passed away after a 15-year battle with multiple sclerosis. Many people have been deeply impacted by the faithfulness of Chris Klicka, as he and his family have helped serve the home-school community nationwide in remarkable and important ways. His tireless efforts helped establish the legislative foundation allowing homeschooling to grow and thrive nationally.

Klicka family friend Jim Van Eerden has initiated a memorial scholarship in Klicka’s name at his alma mater, Grove City College, as he had discussed with Chris in the weeks prior to his passing. The scholarship will be awarded annually to a home-schooled student who exemplifies academic excellence, leadership, character and community service.

"He was an excellent student with a particularly keen interest in questions about religious liberty and how that liberty might be protected," said Dr. John A. Sparks, dean of the Calderwood School of Arts & Letters at Grove City College. "What I did not know at the time was that he would become the untiring legal defender of fathers and mothers across this nation, many of them Christians, who wanted to school their children at home. His death is an immeasurable loss to that alternative schooling movement which has grown wider and deeper than he ever expected."

"Chris’s accomplishments as a lawyer for homeschooling are clear and of value that cannot be overstated," according to HSLDA Chairman Mike Farris. "He was one of the most important pioneers of our movement. He believed that this truly is God’s way to teach children to love God. He believed it deeply. His conviction was infectious. He was a man of single-hearted devotion that I have never, ever seen equaled. The passion that Chris felt for the mission to which God called him never, ever, ever, ever dimmed, even slightly."

"Chris was both a people person and a goal person. He cared deeply about people, but was also driven to always do more!" recalled HSLDA President J. Michael Smith. "He was the most determined person I ever met in my life. Even with all the things he accomplished every day at HSLDA, he continually wanted to tackle new challenges and serve homeschoolers in more and better ways. He was so focused on the homeschooling world, but he was also very much focused on his family and dedicated to raising his children."

We would like to invite you to join with us and other families across the United States to make this a lasting remembrance of a great patriot, who gave his life in service to God and to many families like ours. If you would like to make a gift to the Christopher J. Klicka ’82 Home School Leadership Scholarship in memory of Chris, please go online to www.gcc.edu/giving or send a check to:

Advancement Office
Grove City College
100 Campus Drive
Grove City, PA 16127
(Memo: Klicka Scholarship)

CONTACT:
Rebecca Miller, Assistant Director of Communications Grove City College Communications Office
Phone: 724-458-1517
Fax: 724-458-2167
E-mail: [email protected]

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