Texas School for the Deaf establishes scholarship honoring Kaylee Hottle

AUSTIN, Texas - The Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) is honoring the life and legacy of one of its students who passed away.

Kaylee Hottle was set to be a senior this year but tragically lost her life in a car accident in July. 

Kaylee Hottle remembered after tragic accident

What we know:

Kaylee was best known to audiences for her role in the Godzilla vs. Kong movie franchise, but at the Texas School for the Deaf, she was remembered for so much more.

The 18-year-old died in a car crash on July 21. This week, TSD hosted a memorial service in her honor, remembering Kaylee as an actress, friend and classmate who brought kindness, laughter, strength, compassion and joy to those around her.

Kaylee's father said the amount of support the family received following her death showed them just how many people were grieving alongside them.

"We didn't even realize the world that grieved with us over Kaylee's being gone," he said.

That support also sparked conversations about how the school could continue honoring Kaylee's legacy.

"There were a lot of people on social media asking about what can TSD do to maintain her legacy and continue to honor her," said Peter Bailey, superintendent of the Texas School for the Deaf.

Texas School for the Deaf establishes scholarship

Local perspective:

Following Kaylee's passing, Bailey said one of the school's priorities became finding a way to keep alive the memory of a student who had an impact on so many people. That led to the creation of the Kaylee Hottle Student Athlete Scholarship.

While Kaylee was known around the world for her acting, Bailey said she remained humble and wanted to experience life at TSD like any other student.

"Many people may not realize is that Kaylee was a very humble human being," Bailey said. "She wanted to maintain a normalcy of just any other student. She did not wanna be treated different."

At TSD, Kaylee was a standout track and field athlete who set multiple records in the hurdles. She also played basketball and cross-country, participated in performing arts and was known for her school spirit.

Scholarship Criteria and Impact

"So Kaylee's scholarship focuses on three criteria. They're an athlete, they're also in theater arts or performances, and also have a lot of school spirit. So the committee will take a look to see if any of these students fit that criteria to receive Kaylee Hottle's award," Bailey said.

"Everything that she did here at school really had a huge impact on everyone. Her character is what is reflected in that scholarship. So I feel like anyone who's awarded that will feel that connection to her."

How to apply for or donate to the scholarship fund

What's next:

Every year, one or two seniors will be awarded the Kaylee Hottle scholarship. They'll be able to receive up to $2,500 depending on the amount of funds available.

TSD says it has already seen an outpouring of support for Kaylee's scholarship, with donated funds starting to enter the account. Anyone who wants to help support the scholarship can donate directly to the Texas School for the Deaf or through the TSD Foundation.

As the new school year approaches, however, Kaylee's absence will be felt by the classmates who expected to spend their senior year alongside her.

"There are a lot of events that a lot of her classmates are feeling at a loss for, knowing that she's not gonna be there for their senior trip, homecoming, all the sports tournaments, events that she would have been a part of," Bailey said.

For Bailey, Kaylee's death and the response to it have also served as a reminder to appreciate the time people have together.

"Time is precious. Tomorrow is never promised," Bailey said.