Henderson County Retired School Personnel Association

03/18/2026

Future Teacher Scholarships Available in Henderson County

Scholarships are available for students who plan to pursue a college program in which he or she will receive teacher certification with a major in education, or a teaching degree in a subject area, such as agriculture or coaching, with teacher certification.

These are available for graduating seniors from a high school in Henderson County who will be attending a college or university beginning in the summer and/or fall of 2026. Application packets can be found on each high school campus in Henderson County with the person designated to handle college scholarships (usually a Counselor).

The application deadline is now April 1, 2026.

The Henderson County Retired School Personnel Association (HCRSPA) awards several scholarships to high school seniors in Henderson County which may range from $1000 to $2000. Applicants need to follow closely the instructions in submitting their application. Members of the retired teacher group will review and select the recipients based upon character and community involvement, the desire to be involved in the field of education upon college graduation, writing skills, high school scholastic achievement, and participation in campus activities. Recipients will be informed by email. Announcement and presentation of the recipients is made at the HCRSPA Scholarship Luncheon held in May and also at the high school awards assemblies.

HCRSPA has been presenting scholarships to high school seniors for the past 26 years. This organization is proud to be able to sponsor aspiring teachers. Funding for these scholarships is provided through private sources and donations, and by The Cain Foundation. HCRSPA encourages any high school senior aspiring to enter the field of teaching to take advantage of the scholarships the group offers.

Please direct questions regarding these scholarships to the person on each high school campus responsible for scholarships or to HCRSPA Scholarship Chair Betty Gore at hendersoncrspa@gmail.com. For more information about HCRSPA, please email us at hendersoncrspa@gmail.com.

03/15/2026

Nancy Crowe, PT, MS, spoke to the Henderson County Retired School Personnel Association (HCRSPA) members and other community members at their monthly meeting on March 11.

Nancy gave an overview of research-based strategies to help reduce the risk, or slow the progression, of cognitive decline. Noting that it’s never too late to start, she described small changes in diet and lifestyle that could help you live your best life.

HCRSPA meets on the second Wednesday of each month, September – May, at Athens First Methodist Church, currently in the Modern Worship Center. Anyone who is a retired public school employee is invited to join. Any person interested in public education and willing to work to achieve the objectives of TRTA is also welcome to join.

For more information about HCRSPA, please email us at hendersoncrspa@gmail.com.

03/03/2026

02/09/2026

HCRSPA will be meeting this Wednesday, February 11, in the Modern Worship Center at Athens First Methodist Church. Refreshments begin at 1:30 and the meeting will begin at 2 pm.
Jeremy Bumgardner, Executive Director of Cain Center YMCA, will present our program. All are welcome to attend.

11/14/2025

Members of Henderson County Retired School Personnel Association (HCRSPA) were fortunate to have Candice Roberts, a Licensed Child-Care Administrator with In His Hands Children’s Home located in Trinidad, Texas, as the speaker at their November 12th meeting.

Their “General Residential Operation is a licensed, non-profit, non-denominational charitable children's home for up to 20 girls, specializing in quality residential care of neglected, abused,
and homeless children ages 0-17.“

Candice noted that they always try to keep siblings together; so, their long-term goal is to eventually add a second building to house boys so they can keep brothers and sisters together. Currently, brothers have to go to a different home – a lot of times in Houston.

For more information about this very worthwhile organization and how you can help, please visit their page at In His Hands Children’s Home or their website at www.inhishandschildrenshome.com. They have both short-term and long-term goals listed that you can help them achieve.

10/14/2025

Two Henderson County Veterans were honored in a Quilts of Valor ceremony at the October 8th meeting of Henderson County Retired School Personnel Association (HCRSPA).

Audrey Martens, Coordinator of the Safari Quilter’s Group of the Quilts of Valor Foundation, awarded quilts to Bill Davidson, husband of HCRSPA member Beth Davidson, and Boyd Foster, husband of HCRSPA member Delores Foster. Audrey was assisted in the presentations by Audra Laneri and Roylynn Ormand.

Bill Davidson served in the U. S. Army as an Aircraft Specialist for Helicopter Parts in Nha Trang, Vietnam, from 1965-1966.

Boyd Foster served in the U. S. Army from 1960-1963 and spent his last year and a half in Frankfort, Germany, serving as an Army Specialist with the Corporal Missile Unit.

The mission of the Quilts of Valor Foundation is to cover Service Members and Veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor. For more information about Quilts of Valor please visit www.qovf.org.

HCRSPA meets on the second Wednesday of each month, September – May, at Athens First Methodist Church, currently in the Modern Worship Center. Anyone who is a retired public school employee is invited to join. Any person interested in public education and willing to work to achieve the objectives of TRTA is also welcome to join.

HCRSPA was founded on September 25, 1974, and has been active in Athens and Henderson County as a service organization through its Scholarships, Books for Children and Community Service programs for the past 50 years. For more information about HCRSPA, please email us at hendersoncrspa@gmail.com

Shown in the picture from left are Roylynn Ormond, Audra Laneri, Veteran Bill Davidson, husband of HCRSPA member Beth Davidson, Veteran Boyd Foster, husband of HCRSPA member Delores Foster, and Audrey Martens.

10/08/2025

HCRSPA Treasurer Betty Gore, President Malcolm Quattlebaum and 1st VP Stella Sikes attended the TRTA District 7 Fall Conference on Tuesday, October 7, in Henderson, Texas.

10/08/2025

HCRSPA will be meeting this Wednesday in the Modern Worship Center at Athens First Methodist Church. Refreshments begin at 1:30 and the meeting will begin at 2 pm.

Our program will be honoring all veterans and two Quilts of Valor will be presented to Boyd Foster and Bill Davidson.

All are welcome to attend.

09/06/2025

Our first meeting of the 2025-2026 year will be held Wednesday, September 10, at Athens First Methodist Church in the Modern Worship Center. We will begin with a potluck lunch at 12 noon followed by our meeting at 1 pm. Texas State Representative Keith Bell will be our featured speaker. All are welcome to join us at
our meeting.

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05/21/2025

Henderson County Retired School Personnel Association (HCRSPA) awarded scholarships to six graduating seniors from Henderson County high schools at their May 14th meeting. The students all aspire to become teachers and/or coaches, and they each excel academically.

From Athens High School, Eden Carnes received a $2,000 scholarship, funded by HCRSPA’s grant from the Cain Foundation; Cloey Peters received a $2,000 scholarship, donated in memory of Dan Bennett and Mack Gore; and Kylee Dodd received a $1,000 scholarship, donated in memory of Inez and Bill Green.

Adriana Estrada, from LaPoynor High School, received a $1,000 scholarship from HCRSPA.
Bradie Cooper, from Brownsboro High School, received a $1,000 scholarship from HCRSPA.
Skyler Skinner, from Eustace High School, received a $2,000 scholarship, funded by HCRSPA’s grant from Operation Round Up/TVEC Charitable Foundation.

Pictured from left are Eden Carnes, AHS; Cloey Peters, AHS; Kylee Dodd, AHS; Adriana Estrada, LaPoynor HS and Bradie Cooper, Brownsboro HS. (Not shown – Skyler Skinner, Eustace HS)

05/13/2025

Our May meeting will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, May 14, in the Modern Worship Center at Athens First Methodist Church. This meeting will begin at 12 noon with a luncheon honoring our six scholarship winners from Henderson County high schools, followed by our regular business meeting. All of the winners plan to study education in college and become teachers.

This is our last meeting until September. For more information, contact us at hendersoncrspa@gmail.com.

Send a message to learn more

04/30/2025

Athens Mayor Aaron 'Bubba' Smith spoke at our April 9th meeting, providing us with updates on projects going on in the city, including capital improvements and new hotels as well as housing and apartment developments.

We also heard a presentation from Athens ISD Superintendent Dr. Janie Sims outlining the projects the School District hopes to accomplish with the passage of the Athens ISD Bond. Early voting ended April 29, but May 3 is Election Day.

City Councilman Cody Craig also spoke in support of the School Bond, highlighting the personal impact the School District has had on his own family.