Nathan Hayes Memorial Scholarship Fund
Remembering Nathan
Nathan Hayes is a name often spoken on the campus here at Mount Dora Christian Academy.
More than a decade 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 sinice 2000.
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
The Nathan Hayes Memorial Scholarship Fund was created in Nathan’s honor. Over the past several years, Steven and Cherie Hayes have given out more than 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 pay medical bills for those in need and funded mission trips for youth in the church community.
The Nathan Hayes Shootout
Each year, the Nathan Hayes Shootout brings student-athletes and the MDCA community together to remember Nathan and celebrate the joy he found in the game of basketball. The annual event also helps support the Nathan Hayes Memorial Scholarship Fund, extending Nathan’s impact to another generation of students.
Nathan has and will continue to impact the lives of thousands of people. The impact Cherie and Steven Hayes have had on so many cannot even 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, Senior Director of Athletics