Family sets up scholarship in son’s memory

Friends and family of Spencer Wood, a Newport Beach native who died two years ago at age 22, have created a scholarship fund in his honor to be awarded to one or more Newport Harbor High School students every year. They raised $4,000 at a benefit in his honor Saturday at the Lido Island Yacht Club.

Spencer, who graduated from Newport Harbor High School in 2002, was in college at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo when he fell into a ravine and hit his head, killing him.

“After he passed away, we found his journal and there’s some amazing poetry we never knew he had written,” said his younger sister Stephanie Wood.

The scholarship will be given to a Newport Harbor student who can insightfully analyze and interpret his poetry. One of his poems, which is particularly well-loved by his family and friends, demonstrates Spencer’s open-minded and loving nature, Stephanie said.

“Leave behind all but your mind, Discover the world by learning, Understand what it is you’re yearning, Respect all those whom you oppose, Always continue this incredible journey,” it reads.

“What it really truly is, is a road map for life. It’s amazing that this kid wrote it so young,” his father, Rich Wood, said.

The idea behind the scholarship is to have contestants write an essay analyzing the meaning of the verses. It will also be stipulated that the prize will go to an unusual candidate — someone who’s not your typical straight-A student, his father said.

“The winner of the scholarship can’t be the recipient of any other major scholarships. This is for the guy that oftentimes comes in second place,” Rich said, citing his son’s propensity for getting B+s.

One of his close childhood friends who grew up with him on Lido Island, Rachel Fallon, said he was so liked in high school that his funeral service was like a high school reunion.

“He was the only person who could make me laugh while making fun of me. He was effortlessly charming even at the age of 14,” Fallon said.

Friends and family from all over the country flew in for the memorial gathering and fundraiser. This will not be the first scholarship set up in Spencer’s name. At Spencer’s fraternity at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, there is a fund in his name with more than $40,000 in it. Rich wants to model the Newport Harbor High School fund after this one, using the interest generated by the money to continuously give annual scholarships to one or more recipients.

ALAN BLANK may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at alan.blank@latimes.com.