Made in Madeira

Since 2018, every member of each Madeira High School (MHS) graduating class who attends a college, university, career training program, or enters the military receives a monetary scholarship - originally $250 and now $325. This monetary scholarship is known as the Made in Madeira Scholarship.

The Made in Madeira scholarships were made possible by a generous donation from the estate of Homer O. Amos.  A WW II Veteran and long-time Madeira resident and business owner, Mr. Amos was proud of his sons and their graduation from Madeira High School in the early 1970’s. As Madeira’s local TV repairman and laundromat owner, Mr. Amos’ shop on Camargo Road served Madeira and the surrounding area for many, many years. Mr. Amos was also an avid investor, successful in managing and growing his assets but who in many ways lived a simple and modest life. He passed away in 2016 at the age of 90, and as part of his final wishes had his estate shared with Madeira High School graduates. Mr. Amos’ generous gift of $750,000 provided the foundation of the Made In Madeira Scholarship which will be built on for years to come.

“I know of no other public high school in the State of Ohio who is able to offer this kind of an opportunity to each and every one of their graduates,” Madeira Superintendent Kenji Matsudo stated. The scholarship funds have continued to grow as donations have been made in memory of family, friends, alumni, and former teachers by individuals or entire classes in amounts ranging from $10 to $2,500 to again another recent estate gift.  Long-time former Treasurer and friend of Madeira Barb Brewer estate left a generous gift of nearly $50,000 to the Made in Madeira Scholarship fund. Often graduates will donate parts of their scholarships back to the school in an effort to ‘pay it forward.’

This May the current graduating class received word of their scholarships, along with a Made in Madeira t-shirt. At their Senior Awards Night, Superintendent Matsudo shared the history behind the awards with the students and the lesson they instill. “I hope that this generous Made in Madeira Scholarship given to you by a Madeira community member you never knew sparks an even greater sense of purpose for who you are and who you can become as you leave Madeira High School,” Matsudo stated. “Being Made in Madeira is not just about what you say, it’s about what you do.  Being Made in Madeira is not about how you start, it’s how you finish. It’s not only about who you are but who you can become. Being Made in Madeira is not about getting, it’s about giving. And if things aren’t quite perfect or you’ve hit a roadblock or a bump along life’s journey ….. being Made in Madeira means that it’s never too late to change your path or course of direction because above all else, being Made in Madeira means that you never, ever give up.”