Monette family establishes UNCF scholarship

In March 2013, the family of Terrilynn Monette and her adopted home of New Orleans lost not only a brilliant educator, but also a warm, loving human being with a zest for life. To honor Terrilynn Monette’s memory and passion to affect the lives of youth through education, her family has established the Terrilynn Monette Scholarship Fund through the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). Through her knowledge and commitment, Terrilynn Monette changed the lives of dozens of students and helped them to realize the limitlessness of their own potential.

Terrilynn Monette was a symbol of the exciting changes in education happening in New Orleans. Within a year of moving from California to New Orleans to teach, she had transformed one of the lowest-performing classrooms in her school to one of its highest-achieving. Her passion and dedication to education earned a “Teacher of the Year” nomination in her district. Everyone expected her star to shine even brighter, and to light the path for so many students who had been left in the dark.

The family of Terrilynn Monette and UNCF are inviting those who knew Terrilynn Monette as well as those who never were fortunate enough to meet her to honor her memory by giving thousands of students the joy of discovering their intellectual potential. To donate to the Terrilynn Monette Scholarship Fund, contributions should be sent to The United Negro College Fund, 1100 Poydras Street, Suite 1400, New Orleans, La. 70163.

For additional information about the Terrilynn Monette Scholarship Fund, contact LaJuana Chenier at (504)-581-3794.

This article originally published in the July 8, 2013 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.