The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Scholarship established in memory of Tom Baer

By Shari Kaplan

The family and friends of Tom Baer, who died in late August, have organized an endowed scholarship called the Tom Baer Teachers of the Future Fund in the hope that Baer's love of teaching will have a permanent, far-reaching impact in the South Bay Area. Baer's cousin Dan Cotton, who is also a teacher, spearheaded the memorial scholarship effort.

Following his graduation from Cupertino High School, Baer earned a bachelor's degree at Dartmouth and a master's degree and teaching credentials from San Jose State University. Over the years, Baer was involved in schools in the Fremont Union and Mountain View high school districts, where he worked as a teacher, administrator and sports coach. "He liked to take students under his wing, and he got involved with families and students," recalls Baer's widow, Cynthia, who says among the many cards and letters she's received was a note from a troubled student who wrote the following about Baer: "When everyone else gave up on me, he didn't. He always steered me in the right direction."

The fund is designed to broaden the pool of candidates entering the teaching profession. It will provide $1,000 scholarships to students who may have been at risk but have since demonstrated character and potential, along with a plan to attend college and ultimately become teachers in some capacity.

Students from all high schools where Baer was a teacher or administrator will be eligible to receive a scholarship--Fremont, Lynbrook, Homestead, Cupertino, Monta Vista and Mountain View. Los Gatos High School students are also eligible, as the Baer family--which includes daughters Rachel and Emy--has made Los Gatos its home for more than 20 years.

Donations, which are tax-deductible, should be made payable to the Fremont Union High Schools Foundation and mailed to Tom Baer Teachers of the Future Fund, P.O. Box 215, Los Gatos, 95031.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, December 31, 1997.
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