Lexington, Kentucky, Dec. 21, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Morris Foundation today announced the creation of the Charlene Davis Bush Scholarship Fund, named in honor of elementary school teacher, counselor, and principal, Mrs. Charlene Davis Bush.
The Charlene Bush Scholarship Fund will provide scholarships in the amount of $10,000 for Floyd Central High School students to attend the University of Kentucky.
"I grew up with a single mother, attended Kentucky public schools, and earned a scholarship," said Morris Foundation Chairman & Founder, Nate Morris. "Because of that opportunity, and thanks to excellent role models like Charlene Bush, I was able to live the American Dream of going to college and starting a successful business. I could not be more proud to give that opportunity back to a new generation of students."
Charlene Davis Bush was Principal of The Wheeler School in Louisville, Kentucky, where she and the teachers ushered in research-based, best teaching and learning practices. This earned the school the coveted United States Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Award. Wheeler was also named "One of the 53 Best Schools in America" by Redbook magazine. Further, this public school was documented in a book, throughout chapter two of The Work of Restructuring Schools published by Teachers College Press, Columbia University, edited by Anne Lieberman and researched by Betty Lou Whitford.
"I believe public schools are one of the strongest and best citadels for maintaining democracy in this nation; therefore, it is of the utmost importance that we support them in all ways," said Mrs. Bush.
A single mother raised Mrs. Bush herself after her father was killed in combat during World War II. She graduated first in her class from a small high school in Floyd County, Kentucky, and graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1964 and completed a Master’s Degree at UK shortly thereafter. She did post-graduate work at Western KY University, the University of Louisville, and Harvard University. Mrs. Bush also served as President of the Kentucky Association of Elementary School Principals and was a featured speaker on American Restructured Schools in London, England, at the Royal Academy of Arts.
"Mrs. Bush is a testament to the strength of Kentucky public education," continued Morris. "She helped thousands of students reach their full potential and realize their dreams. I would not be doing what I am doing today without people like Mrs. Bush and what she did for me — helping me to feel empowered to become a leader at a very early age."
Thanks to encouragement from Mrs. Bush, Morris ran for and was elected as president of the Wheeler School Student Council, was selected for the Gifted Student Program at the Univeristy of Kentucky and served as lead Anchor for The Wheeler School daily telecommunications program. He went on to have a remarkable academic career at Eastern High School, earned a Scottish Rite Scholarship to attend George Washington University, attended Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs, and founded Rubicon, the category creator in the digital waste and recycling industry.
"I've had a lot of brilliant students, but I've never had a student like Nate Morris," said Mrs. Bush. "He wanted to help others. He was a builder and a natural leader among his peers at a very young age. I knew Nate would do wonderful things and could not be more proud of his most recent accomplishment with the announcement that Rubicon, the company he founded and serves as CEO, is going public on the New York Stock Exchange. I knew that as he achieved incredible success that he would give back."
About The Morris Foundation
The Morris Foundation promotes the cherished American value that a better life is possible to those who seek it and is committed to investing in causes that provide opportunities for self-advancement, the alleviation of rural poverty, and access to higher education in Kentucky. The Morris Foundation was founded by Rubicon Founder & CEO Nate Morris and his wife, acclaimed entrepreneur and author Jane Morris to provide access to the American Dream for all Kentuckians. It offers targeted grants and goes beyond charitable giving to offer access to tangible resources that allow partner organizations to scale in an entrepreneurial way.
About Nate Morris
Nate Morris is the chairman and founder of Lexington, Kentucky-based Morris Industries and its signature asset, Rubicon, a widely acclaimed software company focused on waste and recycling. Morris, a ninth-generation Kentuckian born in Lexington and raised by a single mother in a union household, attended public schools and was the first Kentuckian to be named to Fortune Magazine's 40 Under 40 list and to be recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. He is also the youngest inductee ever to the Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame. Morris is a senior advisor to the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center for Security, a member of Business Executives for National Security (BENS), a member of the Trilateral Commission, and a Fulbright Specialist Scholar.
About Rubicon
Rubicon is a Lexington, Kentucky-based software platform that provides smart waste and recycling solutions for businesses and governments worldwide. Creating a new industry standard by using technology to drive environmental innovation, the company helps turn businesses into more sustainable enterprises, and neighborhoods into greener and smarter places to live and work. Rubicon’s mission is to end waste. It helps its partners find economic value in their waste streams and confidently execute on their sustainability goals. Learn more at Rubicon.com.
Rubicon previously announced an agreement for a business combination with Founder SPAC (Nasdaq: FOUN), which is expected to result in Rubicon becoming a public company listed on the NYSE under the new ticker symbol “RBT” in the second quarter of 2022, subject to customary closing conditions.
