Nia House joins with the Lepie-Hallward Family in remembering Sam.
Please read on and find more information about the Samuel Lepie Hallward Memorial Scholarship Fund at Nia House below.
A message from Sam’s family…
Sam loved Nia House more than could be imagined. Following in the footsteps of his older sister Lila, he started in the Toddler Room at eighteen months, where he proceeded to protest, loudly. Yet within a few short days, thanks to his amazing, patient, and kind teachers, Sam figured out that Nia House was actually an amazing place to be.
Sam loved playing with his friends in the yard and on the play structure - he could have stayed up there for hours. He also loved pouring works, math works, and he was beyond happy to complete some of the more challenging projects like his self-portrait, map of the states, and the thousand cube. Sam would come home signing songs and telling us stories about freedom fighters like Harriet Tubman and Cesar Chavez.
Sam graduated from Nia House in 2016 after completing his kindergarten year at the school. He was so pleased to be the narrator in the end-of-year play. Sam attended Rosa Parks elementary and both Willard and King Middle Schools. He was such a sweet, funny, smart, curious, and kind kid. Tragically, a few months before his 12th birthday, Sam was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor called DIPG for which there is no treatment or cure. Surrounded by all the love our world has to give, Sam died on December 2, 2022.
We are honored to join with friends and family to support the school in setting up a needs-based scholarship in Sam’s memory. We can think of no better place for kids to get an incredible start on life and absorb the values of empathy, kindness, and love that permeate the Nia House community.
A message from Nia House:
In honor of our dear friend Sam, we have created the Samuel Lepie Hallward Memorial Scholarship fund to provide significant tuition assistance for a child from a low income family each year. Already, the fund is seeded with generous donations from Sam's family, an alumni family whose son had Sam as a beloved classmate at Nia House, and a triple match from a generous employer, totaling $85,900. In its first year, the fund will reduce a child's tuition by nearly 60%. Nia House will continue to raise and invest the funds necessary to support an ongoing annual scholarship program. We treasure Sam's life, love, joy, laughter, kindness, silliness and growth at Nia House and beyond.
Nia House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization Federal Tax ID # 94-2272092 Donations are tax deductible, as provided by law. Please reach out to Nia House directly with questions about this specific fund, its growth, and how you can help.