Honor the memory of Tom Apel by sending Center students to Missouri Scholars Academy

Tom Apel, a 1972 graduate of Center High School, led an amazing life. A recipient of the Center Education Foundation Distinguished Alumni Award, Tom had a stellar career as a tax executive for several major corporations. His greatest legacy, however, is his Christian faith and how he used that to serve others. He founded Gracious Promise, a ministry supporting prison inmates, during and after their incarceration, to help them establish productive lives. He served on numerous committees with Center, including the Foundation Board of Directors, the Center Museum, and the Center Athletic Hall of Fame. Tom's boundless enthusiasm for connecting fellow Yellowjacket alumni helped bring people of all ages together to celebrate their Center experience.

Two of Tom's favorite educational institutions were Center High School and the University of Missouri. Tom's family wanted to honor both of those with the Tom Apel fund. The fund will be used to pay for Center Students to attend the Missouri Scholars Academy (MSA) at the University of Missouri each summer. MSA is open to high achieving student across the state and Center has a strong history of sending 2-3 students per year to the Academy.