Carson endowment awards first grant
It has been two years since Carson Robbins died, just shy of his 18th birthday, but his legacy is living on through the Live Loud Like Carson: A School Spirit Fund endowment.
The fund in Carson’s name is managed by the Tipp City Foundation and supports activities and projects that build positive connections among students of all ages at Tipp City schools. The grant can go toward academics, athletics, clubs, or special events. The fund just awarded its first grant months ahead of schedule.
The grant went to the Inferno Literary Journal, which is a student-led publication that provides a space for creative writing talent at Tippecanoe High School. Tippecanoe English teacher Aimee Noel is an advisor for the journal. She explains what makes it so special.
“Student-editors choose work for the book blindly, so publication is based on merit rather than popularity,” said Noel. “This is Inferno’s 11th year, and it has recently received the highest national recognition awarded to student publications. The work is compiled and printed in May each year, culminating in a public book release party at which writers are encouraged to read their work aloud.”
The grant will be used to print the book and because of the generosity of the grant they will be able to publish more articles without limiting the number of student contributions.
Carson Robbins was a Tippecanoe High School Senior who died on April 14, 2023, after a brief seizure condition. The loss of Carson was profound not just for Carson’s family and friends but for the entire community.
“It’s hard to believe that two years have passed since we lost our boy,” said Carson’s mother, Carrie Robbins. “The best way I can describe our lives is that “broken hearts continue to beat.” The sun comes up and we start a new day. Two years ago, I would not have believed that I could go a day without debilitating grief. But as time moves forward, we have learned to live with our grief. It is always there – we just embrace it when it surfaces. It’s nothing we will ever hide from. Grief is just an extension of our love.”
Carrie says they grieve for Carson during big life events that he should have been a part of. “Holidays, vacations, his best friend's wedding and birthday, and his favorite cousin’s college graduation. His oldest brother, Mason, will graduate in May from the University of Dayton, and we are looking forward to his baby brother, Jackson’s, senior year and football season. With each new life event, we just make sure to add in a “what would Carson have said,” which always ends up with a smile and laugh.”
It is safe to say, Carson made a big impact on almost everyone he met, which made choosing a name for the endowment an easy task.
“Anyone who knew him, knows he was loud, that his personality was infectious and that he just had a way of making people feel good. So, ‘Live Loud’ seemed the perfect fit. Add in the fact that we all love a little alliteration, and we ended up with LIVE LOUD LIKE CARSON: A SCHOOL SPIRIT FUND,” said Robbins.
Robbins says the initial goal was to raise money needed within the first calendar year in hopes they could start giving out money by 2026. However, they hit their goal within the first three months.
Noel says this grant was special for another reason: Carson was a former student. “Carson was a student in one of the first on-campus Comp I English classes I taught, and after the class had finished a grueling semester of writing paper after paper, he had talked me into a celebratory last day, complete with an ice cream cake,” said Noel. “He was the epitome of the motto ‘Work hard, play hard.’ We are often good at the first part of that saying, Carson was a great reminder that the second part matters, too.”
“Having one of Carson’s former teachers be granted this award is honoring. That fills my mama heart. It’s gratifying to know that over the next several years Carson’s fund will touch the people who know him. Flash forward 20 years and someone will still have something to celebrate because of Carson,” said Robbins. “We are really excited for Inferno to receive this award. Everyone knows Carson’s love for sports - but it is extremely important to us that teachers and youth organizations know that this fund is for all types of activities. Inferno creates an incredible journal of writings each year that we have been fortunate to receive a copy of in the past. We are looking forward to the newest publication.”
If Carson was alive today, he’d be getting ready to turn 20 years old. To honor him, his family and friends are holding their inaugural birthday fundraiser for the Live Loud Like Carson fund on Saturday April 26 at 7 p.m. The fundraiser will be held at the Tipp City Eagles and will include a night of music, games, prizes, dancing, raffle baskets, and 50/50 raffles. There are still some tickets available. You can also donate to the fund through the Tipp City Foundation website by scanning the QR code.
“I'm so proud that the Inferno program is the first to be associated with this fund and with Carson's engaging and spirited nature,” said Noel. “The THS students who submit their creative work to Inferno are putting their creativity, their talent, and, often, their lived experiences on the page for all of us to read. And some of them will muster the courage to read on stage at our book release event. They are, quite literally, living loud like Carson. We are honored to carry on in his name.”