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FREDERICKTOWN – The Fredericktown High School Alumni Association is pleased to announce the “Ed & Sandy Erick & Family Scholarship,” the 36th “Freddies Helping Freddies” scholarship.
This new fully endowed scholarship, which will be first awarded to a 2025 FHS graduate, was funded by Sandy Erick, her children Matt and Scott, and numerous friends who wanted to honor the life of Ed Erick, a respected FHS principal, community leader, and good family man.
Ed Erick was a graduate of Newark High School where he excelled as a student and an all-around athlete, setting a league scoring record in basketball that stood for over 20 years. In middle school Ed met his soul mate, Sandy Birkey, who was a popular and accomplished student, cheerleader and became the Homecoming Queen.
After high school, Ed attended Wittenberg College on a basketball scholarship. Following his college graduation in 1961, Ed launched a 35-year career in education, starting as the head basketball coach and a teacher at Heath High School where Sandy was the secretary to the superintendent. In 1962, after eight years of dating, Ed and Sandy committed to marriage.
In 1967, Ed and Sandy moved to Fredericktown where Ed became the intermediate school principal. As principal, Ed strove to maximize the potential of every student by creating an environment where education thrived, and personal growth was celebrated. Ed’s legacy as an educator is one of inspiration and dedication, and he left an indelible mark on countless lives.
On the home front, Sandy focused full time on raising their two young children, returning to the work force as a secretary once the children were both in elementary school. Beyond their professional lives, Ed and Sandy were deeply involved in the community; the entire family was members of the Fredericktown United Methodist Church and Ed was an active participant in the Fredericktown Lions Club for more than 50 years.
Sandy is not one to boast, but she beams as she describes her children and grandchildren. Her two sons, Matt and Scott, were good students and athletes at FHS and continued their educations beyond college.
Matt, a registered pharmacist, is now a president with Biocon, a global biotech company, while Scott is an HR executive with Kokosing. Sandy, who is very proud of her sons, gives equally glowing comments on her five grandchildren: Laurel, Noah, Jack, Carson, and Malea.
Sandy points out with pride that her sons’ most important accomplishments were getting these five special grandchildren off to a great start in life.
When asked how and why the Erick Family decided to endow this scholarship, Sandy said, “It was a family decision to show tangible support for our belief that education is the cornerstone of all progress. We hope to support young people striving to shape a brighter future for themselves and the world.
“We hope each recipient will honor and carry forward a legacy of excellence, determination, compassion, and service that the Erick family tries to exemplify.”
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