Fishburne Military School helped Scott Simons by giving him a place for his non-profit youth-football program to play home games.
Then Simons, the managing partner and general manager of Valley Auto Group in Staunton, found a way to repay the favor.
“When I learned about this tax-credit program, and saw Fishburne Military School on the list of educational institutions that could benefit, I asked my accountant, how much can I give?” said Simons, who is donating $100,000 through the Education Improvement Scholarship Tax Credit program to FMS.
The money will provide scholarships for up to 20 students over the next five years.
Simons also heads up the Augusta Spartans youth-football program, which provides opportunities for more than 100 local youths ages 5-13 to practice and play football.
The Spartans have played home games on campus at Fishburne the past two years.
“What Mr. Simons and Valley Auto Group are doing will open up a wealth of educational opportunities for young people in our area and throughout Virginia who might never otherwise be able to explore their fullest potential,” explains Capt. Mark E. Black, US Navy (Ret.), Superintendent of Fishburne Military School.
The Education Improvement Scholarship Tax Credit is administered by the Virginia Department of Education. The program offers a 65 percent state tax credit on top of current state and federal tax deductions for monetary and marketable securities donations to nonprofits that, in turn, provide private school scholarships.
Simons hopes that news reports about his donation to FMS will encourage others to consider doing the same in the future.
“What we’re hoping to do is get the message out to other people who may not know that this tax credit program exists. If we can help this school and help the children of this community get a great education, it’s a great way we can all give back,” Simons said.
More information on the tax credit program: click here.
Story by Chris Graham
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