AUSTIN, Texas - The Texas School for the Deaf has set up a memorial scholarship for one of their students, actress Kaylee Hottle.
Hottle died in a car crash in Maryland on July 21.
Kaylee Hottle, deaf actress, Texas School for the Deaf student, dies in Maryland car crash
Kaylee Hottle, a deaf actress and student at the Texas School for the Deaf in Austin, has died in a car crash in Maryland.
What they're saying:
On Aug. 4, TSD announced the Kaylee Hottle Memorial Student-Athlete Scholarship to honor the actress, calling her a "beloved member of the TSD community whose passion for athletics, the performing arts, and school spirit inspired everyone around her."
TSD says that through the scholarship, each year, one or two graduating students will be recognized for exemplifying the same qualities Kaylee lived every day:
- Excellence in athletics
- Involvement in theater or the performing arts
- Leadership
- Perseverance
- Creativity
- Teamwork
- Positive character
- Dedication to the TSD community
A committee will determine the senior or seniors that would receive the scholarship.
"Kaylee’s impact will continue to inspire future generations to pursue their passions, serve others, and make a meaningful difference both on the field and on the stage," said the school on social media.
The announcement was accompanied by a video from Superintendent Peter Bailey, who delivered remarks in ASL.
What you can do:
Anyone wishing to contribute in honor of Kaylee can do so in one of two ways:
- Direct contribution to the Texas School for the Deaf through contacting Peter Bailey by email. Contributions will be designated exclusively for the scholarship
- Contribution through the school's foundation. Contributions designated for the scholarship will directly support it in accordance with the Foundation's charitable giving policies. Donations made this way are tax-deductible.
The backstory:
The Frederick County Sheriff's Office in Maryland released information on the crash.
Deputies and EMS were called to the scene of the single-vehicle crash just before 3 a.m. July 21.
A preliminary investigation shows that the car, a 1995 Honda Accord, was being driven by a 19-year-old Frederick man and had driven off the right side of the two-lane roadway and struck a culvert.
Officials believe that excessive speed contributed to the crash.
Three people were in the car, including Kaylee, the driver and a second passenger. The driver was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and the other passenger declined medical treatment at the scene.
Kaylee was taken from the scene to an area trauma center where she was pronounced dead.
The crash is still under investigation by the sheriff's office, which is asking anyone with information to contact Dfc. Rose at 301-600-1046.
The Source: Information in this report comes from the Texas School for the Deaf and previous reporting by FOX 7 Austin.