three daughters of local law enforcers receive scholarships

Having a hero for a father has paid off for three local high school students, reports Crime Stoppers of Southeast Texas. At a board meeting on July 20, the nonprofit celebrated the trio of outstanding students, presenting each with a 2022 Larry Beaulieu Scholarship award to help them pay for college.

Crime Stoppers programs provide the public with the opportunity to give tips about crimes to law enforcement, whether it’s to share information to help solve a crime that has already occurred or prevent one that may be in the planning stages. Callers can reach out by phone, online or through the newest contact channel, the P3TIPS app, which can be downloaded to any smartphone.

The Larry Beaulieu Scholarship was created to support the education and development of sons and daughters of area law enforcement officers, as well as to honor “the visionary leadership of the agency’s founding chairman, Larry Beaulieu.” Each year, the organization collects funds to provide these well-deserved scholarships.

Crime Stoppers of Southeast Texas Board Chairman Kent Houp welcomed law enforcers, Crime Stoppers board members, the scholarship recipients and their families to the auditorium at the nonprofit’s local headquarters, 700 North St., in Beaumont. Through overwhelming community support, he said, the organization has increased the number of annual recipients to three this year, following last year’s upward trend.

“Mr. Larry Beaulieu was one of the founders of Crime Stoppers,” said Houp at the meeting. “He was thrilled when he found out that we were able this year again to go from the two (scholarships) that were set up to three.”

Beaulieu appeared on video at the presentation and announced the three 2022 scholarship winners: Payton Burleson, a 2022 graduate of East Chambers High School and daughter of Aaron Burleson with the Sour Lake Police Department; Caitlyn Martin, a 2022 graduate of Lumberton High School and daughter of Edward Martin with the Vidor Police Department; and Madelyn Reese, a 2022 graduate of Lumberton High School and daughter of Jeremy Reese with the Nederland Police Department.

Crime Stoppers Board Member Vernice Monroe participated in the selection process, and she commended the three young ladies who were chosen from a long list of applicants this year.

“Congratulations! We received a number of applications… I think we had 19 applicants this year, which is the most we’ve ever had… It was really quite difficult this year because we had some excellent, excellent applications,” said Monroe, who added she was “proud” to have been part of the selection committee.

Each student will receive $1,000 toward college tuition for any course of study.

Scholarship recipient Caitlyn Martin says her dad encouraged her to apply for the scholarship that he learned about through work. Martin plans to eventually take over the family business: Hard Bean Café located in Lumberton and now, with their new location, at The Silos in Beaumont. She has already started learning the ropes at the family-run store, and she said she is looking forward to attending college locally.

“I’m going to go to school for business,” said Martin after the awards presentation. “I plan to go to Lamar University. I don’t want loans, so I’m going to use this money to help me toward that goal.”

She thanked the Crime Stoppers team for selecting her as a 2022 Larry Beaulieu Scholarship recipient.

Madelyn Reese said she too will be attending Lamar University in Beaumont, at least for her first two years while she gets a feel for what she wants to do in the future.

“I plan on going to Lamar, and I’m going into university studies,” she shared. “I’m not sure what I want to do yet, so I’m just looking at my basics, to get them out of the way, and just kind of exploring different careers.”

Reese says she loves living in Southeast Texas and isn’t “ready to leave yet.”

“I just wanted to get out of high school and experience college and a job. I was in band in high school, so I  didn’t really have time for a job then,” she said. “I just wanted to see what it is like, and maybe a couple of years down the road, head off somewhere else and transfer, maybe.”

She is currently working at Olive Garden and plans to start at Lamar University later this year.

Crime Stoppers is a civilian 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization “devoted to helping law enforcement get criminals off our streets and bring justice to victims of crime,” the organization describes. Crime Stoppers works to achieve this goal by operating a 24-hour anonymous tip line based on the idea that “someone other than the criminal has information that can help solve a crime.” The anonymity the service provides and the potential cash reward callers can receive “breaks down the largest obstacles in getting people to provide information – fear of reprisal and apathy.”

Crime Stoppers of Southeast Texas assures all tipsters will remain anonymous, and they may also receive a cash reward. Call (409) 833-TIPS (8477), visit 833tips.com, or download the P3TIPS app to reach Crime Stoppers and help put criminals behind bars.