She was a loving sister, a believer in justice and a brilliant scholar who didn’t boast about her academic success.

Now that Sarah Elbayoumy is gone, though, many Lawrence residents are working to ensure that the 16-year-old isn’t forgotten.

Elbayoumy, a Free State High School junior, died a week ago today in a car wreck on her way to visit colleges in St. Louis. All last week, efforts were building throughout Lawrence to preserve and honor her memory.

“This is someone who would have made such a difference in the world, but still in her short life she accomplished that,” said Lleanna McReynolds, who taught Elbayoumy as an elementary student at Raintree Montessori School. “She still affects all of us.”

A memorial service will be at 4 p.m. Thursday at the Islamic Center of Lawrence, 1917 Naismith Drive.

A scholarship has been established in Elbayoumy’s name through the Lawrence Schools Foundation, which is affiliated with the school district. Family members still are working with the foundation to establish the criteria.

Also, the 5K run and half-marathon at this year’s Raintree Run — a fund-raiser April 18 for the school, 4601 Clinton Parkway — will be in her honor. Elbayoumy had volunteered at the run in recent years.

As a second-grader at Raintree, she wrote articles on Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., McReynolds said.

“She was just exceptional in every way,” she said.

Raintree Run 2004&nbspFSHS student killed in wreck (12-30-03)

Elbayoumy died near Columbia, Mo., after a tire blew out on her family’s car, which then crossed the interstate median and overturned in oncoming traffic. She had removed her seat belt momentarily to climb into the back of the vehicle and have a snack with her 9-year-old sister.

“She doted on her little sister, who adores her,” said Clare Hove, a friend of Elbayoumy’s.

Maggie Khater and Nora Elbayoumy, mother and sister of Sarah Elbayoumy, were involved in the car accident last week that killed Sarah. Flowers and care baskets have been sent to comfort the family, who are planning a memorial service for Thursday.

Elbayoumy’s father, Moussa Elbayoumy, director of the Islamic Center of Lawrence, said that when he returned from his daughter’s burial Monday in Kansas City, Mo., some of her friends had left a memorial with flowers and handwritten messages on the doorstep.

“That was only the first drop of a flood,” he said. “The house is full of flowers and plants all over the place. Families have been bringing food to the point that somebody had to step in and make a schedule. … It’s really overwhelming.”