Cindy and Dan Musko pose with their grandchildren, Ethan Morton, second from right, Brynn and Noah Morton. The Muskos have pledged $75,000 to the Golden Tornado Scholastic Foundation for an annual varsity basketball scholarship in honor of their grandchildren.

According to research from the Education Data Initiative, there are more than 1.7 million scholarships available nationwide.

When a new scholarship is announced, it’s quite often in memory of someone who has died. It’s a way to honor the commitment of the deceased to a particular school or vocation.

Sometimes, the scholarship is set up by a wealthy person who wants to see more students in a particular field of study.

And sometimes a local family just wants to see a basketball player get a postsecondary education without going into massive debt.

In the case of the latter, Dan and Cindy Musko, of Butler Township, could have taken a very fancy vacation or added on to their home, but instead, the humble and family-oriented couple decided to use their money to honor their grandchildren and enhance educational opportunities for Butler Senior High School varsity basketball players.

Reporting from Eagle community editor Paula Grubbs in the Wednesday paper gave us some details into the Muskos’ plan.

The couple will provide the Golden Tornado Scholastic Foundation with $5,000 per year for 15 years for the Golden Tornado Boys and Girls Basketball Scholarship.

One male and one female player on the varsity basketball teams at Butler Senior High School will receive $2,500 to help pay for their postsecondary education.

The Muskos said recipients are not restricted to enrollment in a four-year university, but can use the money for a vocational, technical or trade school, or a community or junior college.

Cindy Musko explained that all three of their grandchildren played sports all their lives, and their eldest grandson, Ethan Morton, Class of 2020, was a standout basketball player at Butler Senior High.

This scholarship is a great incentive not just for education but for exercise. Students who take seriously their studies and their health by playing sports are a boon to their communities, and we applaud the Muskos for their commitment to health, studies and the community.

— RJ

Butler guard Ethan Morton makes a dunk shot during a quarterfinal game against Pine-Richland earlier this year. Butler Eagle file photo