Family remembers natural-born athlete through scholarship

By: Theresa Poulson
   It has been nearly a year since 22-year-old Kenneth G. Keim Jr. passed away, but his mother Roberta Keim’s eyes still shine with admiration as she talks about his ability to bounce back in any circumstance.
   Kenny, as his friends and family called him, was a natural-born athlete. He was captain of the wrestling team at Allentown High School, where he graduated from in 2002.
   He died in a car accident on Sept. 25, 2005.
   To help keep his memory alive, his family has established a $1,000 scholarship that will be awarded to a male student-athlete whose determination is exemplified by his participation in a sport.
   The person must display "outstanding leadership and sportsmanship qualities with hopes of advancing his education in either a two- or four-year vocational-technical school or college/university program," according to the distributed criteria.
   The selection is based on a personal interview and a 500-word essay describing how the student’s involvement in sports has helped him overcome an obstacle in his life.
   The scholarship was awarded to Matt Valnowski on June 7 at an awards ceremony at Allentown High School.
   Roberta says the following of her son:
   "Kenneth G. Keim was born in Latrobe, Pa., on Nov. 15, 1982.
   He was truly an amazing person and a natural-born athlete. He was able to pick himself up under the most adverse circumstances. He took the initiative to go out for sports on his own and because of that his spirit is kept alive through a scholarship in his name.
   Kenny came from a family of good athletes. His sister, Katie, excelled in track and played soccer for Allentown High School. His father swam competitively, crossing the English Channel in 1987. His great-uncle Johnny Pastore was a recognized boxing champion and his grandfather was drafted by the Yankees.
   Sports allowed Kenny the opportunity to display his athletic abilities while it gave others a glimpse of his strong character, which was that of a good person. He was a wonderful son and a great brother to his sister Katie. He was a friend to boys that didn’t have friends. He opened his home to them when they didn’t have one of their own to come home to. He was a giver, not a taker. He was respectful to his grandparents, aunts and uncles. He made his nieces and his nephews laugh. He was a gentleman, handsome and considerate, and he is missed by all those who loved him and knew him.
   What does the Kenneth G. Memorial Scholarship mean to me and Katie, and our family? It means that we can keep Kenny’s spirit alive through the initiative that he himself took to participate in sports, which enabled him to express his natural athletic talent, good character, and to share it with others. We would like the scholarship to represent his courage and his initiative not only in sports but in the way he looked at life. We would like it to embody all that Kenny was and to encourage others to make sports a way of channeling their talents, and to be recognized for it.
   I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who applied for this scholarship. We wish the best to the first-year recipient, Matt Valnowski. A special thanks to the Papp family for always being there for Kenny."
   For more information about the scholarship contact the Allentown High School guidance office at (609) 259-2160.