NICK AND RANDY LEIFESTE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND

The Nick and Randy Leifeste Memorial Scholarship Fund is dedicated to recognizing and supporting graduating seniors from the New Braunfels High School Mighty Unicorn Band.

Nick Leifeste (1981-2017) grew up in New Braunfels and attended NBHS. Nick was a gifted musician, and was a proud member of the New Braunfels High School Mighty Unicorn Band. His father and musical inspiration, Randy Leifeste, also attended NBHS and served as one of the band directors for 12 years. During Nick’s senior year in high school, he was honored as a Texas All-State trumpet player and served as Colonel of the band. Nick attended Texas State University in San Marcos, majoring in music performance, before enlisting in the United States Navy in 2000 as a musician. He served in the Navy Bands at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, Louisiana, Naval Station Norfolk in the Atlantic Fleet Band in Virginia, and finally served at Naval Station Pearl Harbor in the Pacific Fleet Band in Hawaii. He also served aboard the USNS Mercy in a peacekeeping mission, Partnership for the Americas, which toured the South Pacific, including Australia, Vietnam and Indonesia. Nick was married to Kim Leifeste and had two sons, Ethan and Tristan. Nick and his family lived in Medford, New Jersey.

Nick’s love for and dedication to the NBHS Band was legendary, and his incredible performances as a member of the band remain in the memories of all who knew him. In 1997, with the busses at a standstill a block away on a congested highway, Nick played a solo alma mater to a sold out crowd at Alamo Stadium in San Antonio just before the Regional Final playoff game, the same year Kliff Kingsbury lead the Unicorn football team to the State Semi-Finals. Nick’s solo at the 1998 Bands of America contest in the Alamodome will never be forgotten. He was an incredible musician and person.

Once fully funded, the scholarship will award one scholarship of $500 each year. Through ongoing fundraising efforts to increase the principal balance to the next predetermined amount, additional funds will be generated, and the number of scholarships will be increased.

Once funded, the scholarship will be open to graduating seniors who have been four-year members of the New Braunfels High School Band who:

  • Intend to pursue post-secondary education opportunities at a four-year university or a two-year community college;
  • Exhibit a love for music and the NBHS band;
  • Exhibit dedication and tenacity in striving to reach their goals, musical and other;
  • Exhibit the qualities of selflessness and loyalty in their relationships with others.

Tax-deductible donations can be made directly to the Nick Leifeste Memorial Scholarship Fund online HERE, or by contacting the New Braunfels Area Community Foundation at (830) 606-9536. If you prefer to donate by check, please make it payable to the New Braunfels Area Community Foundation (801 W. San Antonio St., New Braunfels, Texas, 78130) and note the fund name, Nick Leifeste Memorial Scholarship, in the memo portion of the check.

There is not a required field of study, but special consideration will be given to those applicants pursuing a degree in music performance or music education.

NOWOTNY AND MILL SCHOLARSHIP

The Nowotny (Albert and Wilhemina) and Mill (Virginia Nowotny) Scholarship is open to:

  • Graduating seniors at NBHS;
  • Applicants demonstrating citizenship, character and personality;
  • Applicants who will be pursuing studies in English or a related filed;
  • Applicants who have a minimum 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale); no grade below a “C”; and no grade below a “B” in English

RUTH NEFFENDORF MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

The Ruth Neffendorf Memorial Scholarship is open to graduating seniors at New Braunfels High School who:

  • Will be pursuing a major in fine arts, education or agriculture;
  • Have a positive attitude toward learning and an ambition to succeed;
  • Demonstrate financial need; and
  • Possess good character, integrity, personality, and citizenship.

SOPHIENBURG MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES

“History and sentiment will always cling to the spot where it once stood.” S.V. Pfeuffer, 1933.

The Sophienburg Memorial Association was established in 1926 to collect and preserve the history of New Braunfels and Comal County. It is the mission of the Sophienburg New Braunfels Archives and Museum of History to present unparalleled collections and distinguished exhibits that focus on educating visitors about our common ground and shared future. We strive to inspire, teach, and entertain, as well as to safeguard and make accessible the artifacts that we hold in trust for future generations.

As the role of the Sophienburg progresses, along with our dynamic and growing community, the security that comes with an endowment fund allows us to focus on the best ways to provide exciting exhibits and thought-provoking visitor experiences. Donations to the Sophienburg enable innovative educational programming, modernization of technology, and care and conservation of collections. Our board of directors, staff, and membership are committed to ensuring the Sophienburg remains an essential part of New Braunfels’ cultural and historical community.

THE HONORABLE JUDGE ROBERT T. PFEUFFER CIVIC LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP FUND

The Honorable Judge Robert T. Pfeuffer Civic Leadership Scholarship Fund was established in 2017 in memory of retired State District Judge Robert (Bob) T. Pfeuffer, to continue his legacy of civic leadership and commitment to community. A scholarship will be awarded to a student who has demonstrated outstanding civic leadership and will be attending Texas A&M University. While not required, special consideration will be given to incoming members of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets.After graduating from New Braunfels High School, Bob pursued a degree in history and a minor in English at Texas A & M University in preparation for law school, which he later completed at the University of Texas at Austin. While at A & M, Bob was a member of the Corps of Cadets in the Air Force ROTC program and was a member of the Corps Staff and a distinguished military graduate. He served on active duty in the United States Air Force in the Judge Advocate Generals’ department in Dover, Delaware, attaining the rank of Captain,Bob was born and raised in New Braunfels, where his family has lived since 1845.

In 1973 the Texas Governor Dolph Briscoe appointed Bob as the first Judge of the 207th Judicial District Court. Upon completion of 21 plus years of active service as an elected judge, he chose to retire and agreed to continue to serve on special assignment as a judge where needed. He also continued to carry on an active arbitration and mediation practice in New Braunfels.

Bob was active in his community through participation in a number of organizations, including the Comal County Fair Association, the New Braunfels Noon Lions Club, the Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce; First United Methodist Church of New Braunfels; Hill Country Orchid Society; National Rifle Association and Comal County Bar Association.

TLU BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT ENDOWMENT FUND

The TLU Business and Economics Department Endowment Fund is designed to support the Business and Economics Department at Texas Lutheran University.

The fund was established, initially, by a nationwide group of business leaders (the Executive Advisory Council) committed to furthering the quality of curriculum and instruction at TLU.

Furthermore, the fund is designed to groom and enhance the educational experience at TLU such that students have quality access to internships, interviewing, technology and general talents needed to have cutting-edge skills to compete in the world today.

This fund is designed to grow in excess of distributions and inflation and to be perpetual in nature. Additionally, the fund is designed to support the Business Department beyond what can be expected through the normal budgeting process at the university.

WALTER AND NOREEN SIPPEL SCHOLARSHIP FUND

The Walter and Noreen Sippel Scholarship is open to students who:
* Are graduating seniors at NBHS;
* Have an overall B average;
* Are female athletes who participate in high school sports
* Desire further formal education at a 4-year accredited college or university;
* Demonstrate good citizenship;
* Participate in school, community and church activities;
* Participates in high school vocational education programs; and
*Are permanent residents within NBISD attendance boundaries

WGL JR. SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Created more than 20 years ago by a New Braunfels family, the W.G.L. Jr. Scholarship Fund helps further the education of Canyon High School graduates. The scholarship is open to those students in the top third of their class who are planning on pursuing a four-year degree. Awards are based on need, character and financial need.

WILLIAM AND SALLY ANN KARNAU EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP

The William and Sally Ann Karnau Education Scholarship is open to graduating seniors at New Braunfels High School who have maintained at least a “B” average and who are planning to select English as their major.