In September 2021, the Montgomery County Public Schools community was surprised and saddened by the death of long-serving member of the Board of Education Patricia O'Neill. Last April at a gathering of family, friends, and colleagues came the announcement that her legacy of service would be remembered through the establishment of a special scholarship recognizing academic excellence.  

Applications will open soon for the newly created Ruth and Norman Rales–Patricia Baier O’Neill Scholarship Recognizing Academic Excellence. These $10,000 scholarships for graduating high school seniors were announced earlier this year by the Norman R. Rales and Ruth Rales Foundation to honor the lives and contributions of Ruth and Norman Rales and Patricia O’Neill, who died Sept. 14, 2021, after having served the longest tenure in the history of the Montgomery County Board of Education. 

The Rales’ $10 million gift is the largest donation ever to the Montgomery County Public Schools Educational Foundation.

Annually, the program will award 200 scholarships worth $10,000 each to the highest achieving graduating seniors from low-to-moderate income households in Montgomery County to help ease the financial burden of attending college, beginning in 2023 through 2027. In total, 1,000 exceptional students will receive scholarships, in recognition of their hard work and achievement. 

“As we remember Pat O’Neill’s towering legacy, I could not be more excited to see students begin to see the possibilities that these scholarships will offer as they prepare for college and their next steps,” said MCPS Superintendent Monifa B. McKnight. “This gift is an incredible statement on the power of education and a heartfelt commitment of support for our students.” 

This scholarship honors the legacies of Ruth and Norman Rales, whose generosity and spirit of giving lives on through the Rales Foundation, and Patricia Baier O'Neill, who is remembered for her lifelong commitment to public service and to the children of Montgomery County. The Rales family has deep roots in Montgomery County, and the Rales Foundation has a history of philanthropic collaboration with MCPS.

Read the full public announcement here.

We Know Pat would be so pleased!