A new scholarship fund has been set up to honor the memory of Sycamore resident Ryan Charles “Vern” Hill.

Created by the Hill family, the scholarship honors the heart, humor and community spirit of Hill, a lifelong Sycamore resident whose warmth and loyalty left a lasting impact on all who knew him.

“Ryan had a way of making everyone feel included,” Hill’s family said in a news release. “He believed in showing up for teammates, for friends, for neighbors, for his girls. If a kid reminded you of Ryan, you didn’t describe their grades or stats. You described their heart.”

The scholarship’s criteria reflect that same spirit. It will recognize a student who demonstrates kindness, inclusivity, humility, quiet grit, and the ability to make others feel like they belong, whether on a field, a stage, at work or in the hallway.

The Ryan Charles Hill Memorial Scholarship Fund is administered through the DeKalb County Community Foundation.

The scholarship will be awarded each spring to a Sycamore High School senior who “shows up, includes others, laughs easily, and makes every space feel a little more like home,” according to the release.

A 1991 graduate of Sycamore High School, Hill was the kind of person who could turn a dugout, garage or backyard fire pit into the center of the universe. He was a three-sport athlete, a loyal friend, and a lifelong believer in community – the kind built by hand and heart, one joke and one favor at a time.

“Ryan was also known for his enormous hands, unwavering devotion to the White Sox, ever-changing six-month hobbies, and his ability to win people over simply by being himself,” according to the release. “Ryan didn’t just belong to his family; he belonged to everyone who knew him.”

Friends, family, neighbors and community members rallied around the Hill family to build the scholarship following Hill’s September 2025 death. The scholarship will be awarded in perpetuity.

The first scholarship recipient will be announced during the Sycamore High School Awards Night this spring.

“We are deeply honored to be entrusted with just one part of Ryan’s amazing legacy through this endowed Fund that will help Sycamore High School graduates achieve their career and life goals,” Foundation executive director Dan Templin said in the news release.

Donations to the scholarship fund can be made online at dekalbccf.org/donate, by mail to the DeKalb County Community Foundation, 475 DeKalb Ave., Sycamore, or in person at the Foundation office.

For questions or to learn more about creating a charitable fund in memory of a loved one, contact the Foundation at 815-748-5383 or dan@dekalbccf.org.