Kent driving school awards scholarship in honor of former Washington State Highway Patrol trooper

Published 12:30 pm Monday, December 19, 2016

911 Driving Schools, which has a location in Kent, has awarded the third annual Trooper Brett Thompson/911 Driving School Scholar Athlete Award to a Mount Rainer High School football player.

This year’s recipient is senior Nathan Sheffield.

The Trooper Brett Thompson/911 Driving School Scholar Athlete Award was created by Joe Giammona, CEO of The Driver Training Group – the parent company of 911 Driving Schools – along with Buck and Lisa Mierke of Kent 911 Driving School, in memory of retired trooper Brett Thompson. Thompson, a 28-year veteran of the Washington State Patrol and instructor at the Kent 911 Driving School, died in December 2014 from injuries sustained while helping a stranded motorist.

The $1,000 scholarship is awarded annually to a senior member of the Mount Rainier High School football program. Seniors are considered for the award based on a number of criteria, including academic excellence, community involvement, athletic ability and school leadership.

“Two years ago, we made a commitment to continue Trooper Thompson’s legacy by annually helping a MRHS student athlete pursue their collegiate goals,” Giammona said in a press release. “Brett committed his life to public service and to the education of high school students as a beloved instructor at the 911 Driving School in Kent. It’s an honor that we’re able to further his memory by supporting an outstanding student-athlete each year.”