Ralph Skay Memorial Award

 
Foundation Board member, Sharon Russell, presents Travis Peralta with the Ralph Skay Memorial Award.
Myles Keefe also received the award but was not present.

The Ralph Skay Memorial Award will recognize the accomplishments of two students who have graduated from Lincoln High School, who have either participated in football or baseball, who receive a nomination from a coach to apply for the scholarship and who show academic achievement.

Mr. Skay taught at Blackduck, Spring Grove, Preston, and Milaca, Minnesota schools before moving to Thief River Falls in 1952. He served as a head football coach for 15 years. He taught science and coached basketball. He initiated a high school baseball program in Thief River Falls in the spring of 1953. He was also Athletic Director and Attendance Director. During his coaching career, he had three teams compete in the state baseball tournaments. Three athletes, during their high school careers made the all-state Minnesota team, two in football and one in baseball. Mr. Skay retired from teaching and coaching in 1978 after 38 years.

When Ralph retired from coaching, he was honored with Ralph Skay Day on May 20, 1974, declared by Mayor Bob Carlson. He was inducted into the Minnesota Coaches Hall of Fame in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in November of 1982. He was awarded a Quarter Century Coach Citation by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune for outstanding coaching in high school and American Legion teams.

Scholarships are funded entirely by the families, individuals or organizations which have established them. The Thief River Falls Education Foundation will be accepting ongoing donations to the Ralph Skay Scholarship. The Foundation is a nonprofit foundation that supports public education through scholarships and grants. For more information about the Foundation, call 681-8711, write to the Thief River Falls Education Foundation, 230 LaBree Avenue South, Thief River Falls, MN 56701 or email: foundation@trfeducationfoundation.com.