Scholarships

This award perpetuates Krista’s passion for the arts by honoring talented RI students who dream of a life in the arts. Krista, our Kiki, loved music, film, theater and dance and was building a career as an actor and screenwriter. She aspired to make a difference through her artistic talents… to entertain, empower, heal, inspire, soothe, excite, and bring people together in significant ways. Along the way she wrote, “We are driven to succeed, not for fame or fortune… well… maybe a little… but for the sake of creating change… of sticking it out until our stories are told and we have nothing left to say”. While pursuing her passions, she generously shared her talents to encourage others to reach for their dreams. 

We look for candidates who exemplify Krista’s compassionate spirit, her wonderful joy for life, her thirst for learning , and her zeal to set seemingly impossible goals no matter the challenge. We continue her life story by supporting the dreams of other budding artists.

Ironman Scholarship Award

This scholarship honors the memory of Zachary Jamison Weller, the younger cousin of Krista Weller Burns. Zach tragically lost his life in 2021 at the age of 35. Zachary was a kind and loving soul with talents that brought smiles to his friends and family. But Zach faced mental health and emotional challenges that kept him from truly developing his gifts. We call this the “Ironman” Scholarship because he was a big Marvel Comics fan and Ironman was his favorite superhero. Mental health issues were his demons and his talents, his armor. We remember him as our superhero for his strength against these obstacles. 

By shining a light on the talents of kids facing similar challenges on their path to success, we honor Zachary’s life. So, we look for other “superheroes”, young adults with their own talents, in the throes of dealing with mental and emotional health issues. Zachary, our Ironman, will amass his own group of brave Avengers willing to share their stories becoming beacons to those who follow.

This award honors Krista’s willingness to give her time and energy to her community through her work in politics which helped bring The Job Corps Academy to Exeter. In 1999, at age 24, Krista was elected to the Exeter Town Council and served two terms in office. During that time, she worked to overcome opposition to the Job Corps project. She believed in the mission of providing an alternative path to youth who needed a second chance to realize their potential. She herself, at this time, was not too much older than the youth who would benefit from the program. 

Krista was a dynamic young woman who had to hold her own in the, at times, nasty arena of local politics. She worked with heart and head for improved communication and collaboration among council members. Those who doubted her abilities due to age and gender came to respect and admire her hard work and professionalism. It took one more YES vote to make Job Corps a reality and she worked to convince that one council member to make a difference in the lives of these young adults. She had a lot of “true grit”! 

We continue her support of the Job Corp mission by supporting the hopes and dreams of youth working to create a better future for themselves. If even one life has been changed for the better, then Krista’s efforts were well spent.

These camp scholarships honor Krista’s helpful and kind nature, her active lifestyle, and her work as a teen camp counselor and lifeguard. They help us remember our gal on the go… swimming, rowing, riding horses, running, rollerblading, gardening, and enjoying any kind of outdoor fun! Her enthusiasm for an active life made her a natural at nurturing campers as young as 5 to play, learn, create, grow, and bloom! It could be exhausting but also rewarding to encourage kids to try new things, gain new skills, make friends, build confidence, and have some FUN! We give kudos to the camp counselors who, like our Kiki, work hard providing a great camp experience while keeping everyone safe.