MARYVILLE — The Maryville Elementary School received a $1,000 check from the Collinsville Educational Scholarship Foundation Wednesday afternoon.

The check, presented to staff members by foundation board President Kai Redmon, owner of Redmon Insurance Agency, was awarded to the school as part of Collinsville's annual Festival of Trees event held in December.

All Unit 10 elementary schools were invited to participate in a gingerbread competition during the Festival of Trees and Maryville Elementary School was voted best in the gingerbread competition. Kreitner Elementary School was voted winner's choice and will receive a $500 check Friday morning.

The Collinsville Educational Scholarship Foundation, which was founded in 2010, was the beneficiary of the Festival of Trees annual fundraiser in December. Event organizers select a different organization every year to receive the proceeds from the event. The fundraiser brought in a gross total of $30,000, Redmon said. The foundation will be awarded the funds that are left after costs and expenses related to the event are subtracted from the gross total. That will be used to award college scholarships to Collinsville high school seniors. The merit-based scholarship program is open to eligible public and private school students living in the Collinsville school district.

"Our vision is that students will go out and gain a valuable education then, hopefully, be able to come back to the area and help revive the community," Redmon said of the scholarship program. "With all the support of the Festival of Trees, I am just tickled pink."

The nonprofit scholarship foundation was founded by the city of Collinsville, the Collinsville School District and members of the community and has awarded two $1,000 scholarships to Collinsville high school seniors every year since the program began.

Contact reporter Jennifer A. Schaaf at jschaaf@bnd.com or 618-239-2667.