Nathan Hayes Memorial Scholarship Fund

Nathan Hayes Memorial Scholarship Fund

Nathan Hayes is a name often spoken on the campus here at Mount Dora Christian Academy.

More than 12 years ago, Nathan was taken from us in a tragic accident. Before that night, Nathan could be found here in the gym (then known as Mount Dora Bible) offering words of encouragement to the players, passing out water, celebrating every win with the Bulldogs, and crying when they lost.

Nathan loved Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics, hence all the green and the shamrocks you will see at various events throughout our campus every year. Nathan’s dream was to play for his Dad, Coach Steven Hayes, who has been the head basketball coach at MDCA for 23 years.

Today, Nathan’s memory lives on the campus of Mount Dora Christian Academy and in the
hearts of the people here. Nathan’s memory has allowed us all (most of whom have never met him) to believe in something bigger. To believe in faith and trust that God is a God of healing, unconditional love, and comfort.

The Nathan Hayes Memorial Scholarship Fund was created in Nathan’s honor. Over the past several years, Steven and Cherie Hayes have given out over 200 college scholarships to students from MDCA and other student-athletes who have participated in the Nathan Hayes Shootout. Money from the fund has helped to pay medical bills for those in need and also funded mission trips for the youth in the church community.

Nathan has and will continue to impact the lives of thousands of people. The impact that Cherie and Steven Hayes have had on so many cannot even begin to be measured. Nathan’s memory will stay alive here forever, and we will continue to celebrate him. We will continue to rock that shamrock on our team jerseys and wear all green in his memory year after year.

— Megan Ziegelhofer, Director of Athletics