Reed L. Berrett Leadership and Citizenship Scholarship

The scholarship you have been awarded was made possible by an endowment established by the family of
Reed L. Berrett to preserve the legacy of his life.

Reed L. Berrett, 1904-1989, was born in Menan, Idaho, to a pioneer family of 15 children, 10 boys and five girls. He paid for his college education by farming a semester, selling the crop, and returning to school the next semester. Upon his graduation from Rick’s College in 1927, he went on to graduate from Brigham Young University in 1930. He taught school and coached in Idaho for 39 years. During those years he encouraged every student, not only the elite few, to live up to their individual potential. He encouraged integrity, responsibility, maximum effort, respect of self and others, and fair play in all aspects of life. In addition to his teaching and coaching endeavors, he served as city clerk, mayor, city judge, a businessman and rancher. In addition, he received the Outstanding Coach Award in 1966, the IHSAA Distinguished Service Award in 1985, and served as President of the Coaches Association, and the Roberts Lions Club. He was also named Jefferson County Cattleman of the Year.

Mr. Berrett taught and coached in four high schools in Idaho: Ucon High School, Lava High School, Roberts High School, where he was instrumental in organizing the “Little Four Football League” in 1936. He successfully coached basketball, football, baseball, and track teams over the years. He started an athletic program for girls, and began interschool competition and tournaments for young women as early as the late 1930’s.

Reed married Mary Whitworth from Lava, ID in the spring of 1936. They raised three children: Bill, who was killed in a roping accident in 1968, Marilyn who resides in Eagle with her husband John Henderson, and Robert, who resides in Phoenix with his wife Vivian. Four generations of their family have attended Idaho State University.

Charlene Martindale, an Associate Professor at Idaho State University, stated that, “Few people have devoted more of their lives to Idaho high school students in general and student athletes in particular than Reed Berrett. I was reared in Roberts and attended elementary and high school there; to me, as to many others, his name is synonymous with academic and athletic achievement. As a friend and counselor of students, Reed has no peer.”

As Reed L. Berrett devoted his life to teaching, inspiring, and loving young people, it is the hope of his family that this scholarship will assist you in completing your education and realizing your goals.