Family of Sidney Olson announces scholarship
May 15—The Olson family has announced the Sidney Mae Olson Rainbow Scholarship Fund.
Sidney Olson, 5, was killed after being struck by a truck while in the crosswalk at Elm Square last week.
"We plan to keep this fund going for years to come to keep her memory alive at the place that ignited her creative and caring spirit," the family said in a statement.
The fund will go toward enrollment for kids at the SHED Children's Campus in Andover, which Sidney attended. SHED offers education programs for pre-K and kindergarten as well as after-school and summer programs for children up to grade 8.
"Sid sprung fearlessly into every day with curiosity, creativity, and love for her community. She wanted nothing more than for people to come together in shared experiences — in nature, in the classroom, anywhere," the statement said.
The family thanked the community for their love and support.
"Many in the community have asked how they can help, and this is exactly what our daughter would want you to do," said the family.
To donate to the fund visit shedchildrenscampus.org and click on the donate button.
"She was known for her soft-spoken style of building bonds across groups, and memorably asked for her birthday party to be a rainbow theme because 'it's everyone's favorite colors,'" the family said.
The SHED school is located on the Phillips Academy campus.
"In her spirit of boundless love and inclusion, we hope this fund provides opportunity to children who might not otherwise have it — and that it adds rich diversity to the SHED community for years to come," the message concluded.
