LCN to Host First ‘Dave Jackson Tip-Off Classic’ to Support 4-School Scholarship Fund

As an educator and coach, former L’Anse Creuse High School North Principal Dave Jackson was a strong supporter of students. Although Jackson passed away last February, his memory and unwavering support promises to live on through a scholarship fund established in his name.

“I think anyone you talk to will tell you about his great character,” said LCN varsity boys basketball coach Jay Seletsky. “He walked the walk, got his hands dirty and supported everybody. His impact was bigger than even education as a whole. Whoever he came into contact with, he tried to make them better.”

In an effort to honor Jackson’s memory and continue his work, L’Anse Creuse North, in association with L’Anse Creuse High School, Cardinal Mooney and Richmond High School, will host the first Dave Jackson Tip-Off Classic Saturday, Dec. 15.

The event will serve as a fundraiser for the Dave Jackson Memorial Scholarship and feature a series of basketball games among the four schools where Jackson spent his 38 years in education. The series is to become an annual event to support the scholarship fund.

“This will be the main fundraiser to keep the fund alive and we’ll rotate it each year,” Seletsky said. “It was Dave’s wife’s main request that all the communities (he served) be involved and what better way than to involve the girls and boys basketball teams of which Dave was a huge part.”

The varsity girls of Cardinal Mooney and Richmond will open the series at 1 p.m., followed by LCN vs. LCHS varsity girls at 3 p.m. The Cardinal Mooney and Richmond varsity boys will take the court at 5 p.m., with the varsity boys of LCN and LCHS closing the series at 7 p.m.

At 6:30 p.m., the games will pause for the dedication of the LCN gymnasium, which was named for Jackson earlier this year.

Tickets to the series are $5 at the door, or $10 for a T-shirt that includes admission to the games. 

Proceeds from the event will benefit the scholarship fund, which Seletsky said is designed to award four $1,000 scholarships to seniors at L’Anse Creuse, L’Anse Creuse North, Cardinal Mooney and Richmond high schools.

The scholarship will have two main requirements: a minimum 2.3 GPA, and involvement in extracurricular activities and community service.

“This is a way to give back in his name and everything he stood for,” Seletsky said, adding that the scholarship will be open to all students. “Dave was a huge basketball fan and a coach and a big athletic fan, but he was also at every band concert, every choir event … he was everywhere that involved students and community. That’s why we wanted it to be available for wide variety of students.”

L’Anse Creuse North is located at 23700 21 Mile Rd., east of North Avenue.