photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Megan Hill, executive director of endowment at Peaslee Tech, and Kevin Kelley, CEO of Peaslee Tech, are pictured on Wednesday, June 4, 2025.

The Dwayne Peaslee Technical Training Center has launched a long-term campaign to create a $10 million endowment that would offer debt-free scholarships to low-income high school students and other eligible Douglas County residents.

It’s called the “Peaslee Promise Campaign,” and the endowment will be managed by the Douglas County Community Foundation to support both student scholarships and Peaslee Tech’s long-term financial sustainability.

The school offers courses on practical skills in various fields, including auto technology, carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, court reporting and more. Kevin Kelley, Peaslee’s CEO, told the Journal-World that the programs are designed to train individuals for high-demand jobs, and he wants to ensure that everyone has access to these opportunities and can complete their training without incurring debt.

One major donation to the campaign was a $100,000 gift from Robert and Lois Hanzlik to expand access to technical training, and Kelley said the school is already offering scholarships with that money.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

A house under construction at the Dwayne Peaslee Technical Training Center in June 2025.

Kelley expects the $10 million endowment will fund around $400,000 in scholarships each year.

“That is just a super important part of our mission — that no one gets turned away because they can’t afford to go to school,” Kelley said. ” … (The endowment) will make it more assured that we have the funds every year, no matter what else happens, we will be able to keep that commitment to the community.”

Eligibility for the scholarships is determined by The Lawrence Workforce Center, which follows federal guidelines from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Kelley said that class costs vary; some may be $2,000, others $4,000 — but if a student qualifies for the scholarship, the full cost of the class will be covered.

“It’s more for the people that say, ‘I need a better job. I’m trying to make a living. I can’t afford to take this program,'” Kelley said. “For people that are in low paying jobs and are trying to get better jobs.”

Even though the primary purpose of the fund will be for scholarships, the money will also be used as “a little buffer on our operations,” Kelley said.

“Let’s say we had some major issue with the building, we would have a little safety net there to help us with something we had to repair, like an air-conditioning unit goes out, (that’s) a couple $100,000,” Kelley said. “It gives us that little buffer, that little safeguard for those types of emergencies.”

Peaslee Tech has offered scholarships to its students previously. According to its website, the RISE Grant, “Raise Income Security and Equity,” began by helping those who lost jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic and offering training for livable wage careers. It now focuses on providing tuition assistance to low-income residents.

To lead the Peaslee Promise campaign, Kelley named Megan Hill as executive director of endowment. Hill brings over a decade of nonprofit fundraising experience and previously served as director of donor engagement for the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence.

“My role specifically will focus, at least over the next five to 10 years, on building this $10 million endowment fund,” Hill told the Journal-World. “… I’ve raised funds from individual donors, from corporate and small business owners (and) civic organizations. All of those entities I enjoy working with immensely because they all understand the impact that they’re making through their giving.”

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

A new course for high school students will be offered at Peaslee Tech in the fall: Introduction to Aviation Pre-Apprenticeship.

In 2024, Peaslee saw over 4,100 course enrollments — a significant increase from its first year of offering courses a decade ago, when there were only about 150.

In the fall, Peaslee Tech will be offering five new courses for high school students: Introduction to Aviation Pre-Apprenticeship, Building Trades Pre-Apprenticeship, Industrial Machinery Mechanic Pre-Apprenticeship, Robotic & Automated Production Pre-Apprenticeship and Diesel Truck Maintenance Technician.

Kelley said the pre-apprenticeship aviation course is a partnership with nearby airports to familiarize students with jobs available in the aviation industry. Students will use flight simulators in the course, learn basics of air traffic control and meteorology along with becoming licensed drone pilots.

Tax-deductible charitable contributions to the Peaslee Promise Endowment Fund can be made online at https://bit.ly/peasleepromise or by mailing a check to the Douglas County Community Foundation, Attn: Peaslee Promise Endowment Fund, 900 Massachusetts St., Suite 406, Lawrence KS 66044.

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

The Dwayne Peaslee Technical Training Center, 2920 Haskell Ave., is pictured in June 2025.