Since 2005, Carter Creech has partnered with CFT on his charitable giving as he’s looked to “think bigger,” leading by example to encourage others. Passionate about education, he credits an athletic scholarship to Southern Methodist University for his undergraduate degree and an SMU tuition scholarship for his MBA as the launching point of his successful business career. Creech is making a lasting impact on the school district he formerly attended in Troy, Missouri. His legacy of giving back and helping others will live on long beyond his lifetime through his charitable estate plans, which will focus on investments in education.
Carter Creech Scholarship Fund
The Carter Creech Scholarship Fund at CFT is the most significant local scholarship award available in Troy, providing four to five sizable, renewable scholarships annually to graduating seniors of Troy Buchanan High School pursuing an undergraduate degree.
Carter Creech Education Fund
Creech experienced firsthand being a student with no counseling or support in determing his college or career path. Today, Troy has only one counselor, dramatically underresourced to serve its 2,000 high school students. To solve this problem, Creech invested in Education Opens Doors (EOD) a Dallas nonprofit, through the Carter Creech Education Fund at CFT. EOD will train Troy teachers to implement a comprehensive two-year curriculum that teaches college and career preparedness skills to sixth, seventh and eighth graders. Students will build confidence and motivation while learning about higher education paths, financial aid, academic benchmarks, professionalism and more.
“Troy is a small town and it’s difficult for students to think big without exposure to opportunities. It’s important to show students their potential so that they can aspire to do big things,” said Creech.
In addition, Creech established the Lincoln County R-III Teacher of the Year Award, the largest program in Missouri. He contributes $8,000 annually from his education fund at CFT to support one $5,000 award and three $1,000 awards to high-performing teachers in the district. It’s made such an impact that Creech has committed to investing in the awards for an additional 20 years.
“Teachers are absolutely critical to student success and this award is a replicable way of showing appreciation for our educators,” said Creech, who encourages those interested to think about funding something similar to uplift excellent teachers.
Looking to make an impact in an issue area? CFT can help connect you to your hometown, whether that’s here in North Texas or across the nation. Contact us at 214-750-4229 or donorservices@cftexas.org to learn how we can help you be a hometown hero for the causes that matter most to you.
