Southgate Ford Helps Wyandotte Students Go to College

With the help of Southgate Ford, more students could be on the fast track to affording college tuition.

A partnership between the dealership and the Wyandotte Public Schools Scholarship Foundation was officially announced at a recent meeting.

Ken Prygoski, who is on the scholarship foundation’s board of directors, said it will receive $100 from every new vehicle bought or leased at Southgate Ford, and $50 from every used vehicle purchased. Funds will be donated to the foundation if a purchaser requests it.

The scholarship foundation is a non-profit organization that donated nearly $70,000 last year to a total of 89 college-bound Roosevelt students. The partnership with Southgate Ford only boosts the foundation’s potential to raise more money and help send more Wyandotte students to college, Prygoski said.

“It’s being initiated to enhance the capability of our foundation to offer scholarships to Roosevelt students,” he said.

At the school board meeting, Southgate Ford General Manager Jim Jurcak presented the foundation with a check for $2,500 to kick-start the program.

“This is a tremendous (gift) for the foundation," Prygoski said. “So we thank them from the bottom of our hearts.”

Jurcak said the per-car donation program is a venture that helps both the foundation and his business.

“We want to sell more cars and we thought if we could help the community at the same, it would be a good match for both," he said.

Board of Education President Patrick Sutka said he hopes people will take advantage of the offer and mention the scholarship foundation if they patronize the dealership.

“We greatly appreciate the generosity of Southgate Ford," he said. "We ask the people of Wyandotte to please consider them when they’re purchasing their next American vehicle."

The scholarship foundation is comprised of several volunteers who work to help raise money for the purpose of sending Roosevelt students to college.

Active foundation members include individuals currently working for Wyandotte Public Schools, retired district employees and members of the local business community.

“We enjoy what we do,” foundation president Conrad Kreger said. “The people that are there are committed to the success of our children.”

Foundation members realize that students not receiving a college education can hurt their chances of finding a rewarding career later in life, Kreger said. 

“In our society, a person that does not seek advanced education is cutting short their earning capability dramatically,” he said.

For more information on the foundation, visit its website.