Jerry Reyes got the message about college when he was just a boy working beside his mother in 107-degree heat in a cotton field.

“I asked my Mamma if we could go home because it was so hot,” he said. “She said if you don’t like the heat you need to keep up your grades so you can go to college like your brother and work in an office where it’s cool. Now get down that row.”

Jerry and Julie Reyes have made furthering education a priority for their own children, but it was not until a recent hailstorm turned into a flood of business for their Cornerstone Roofing company that they could channel profits into college scholarships and the largest financial gift ever given to Marble Falls Project Graduation.

Cornerstone dedicated $100 per roof during the month of April to Project Graduation to make the organized senior party a success. When they saw donations in a flagging economy slipping from previous years, they added to the amount to give $10,000 and began to plan for giving a $1,000 scholarship.

“When we saw how many deserving seniors needed financial aid, we decided to make it three scholarships,” said Jerry.

His father was as supportive of education as his mother. First-generation Americans, Jerry and most of his nine brothers and sisters went on to college. And, the whole family has gone together, since the death of his mother, to give the annual $1,000 Emma B. Reyes Scholarship in her memory in his hometown of Memphis, Texas.

“My father always tries to go to the ceremony to see it presented,” said Jerry. “This year we gave three scholarships there for the same reason. So many graduates were deserving and needed help.”

For the full story, see The Highlander.