About

Endowment established to provide ongoing financial support for the Joan Boynton Frakes Memorial Scholarship, which awards students who are pursuing a degree in education, with an emphasis on secondary education (grades 6 - 12), have good academic standing, and demonstrate financial need. Preference will be given to students admitted to the Secondary Education Credential Program. College of Professional Studies (CPS)

Headshot of Joan Boynton Frakes, who graduated from Cal Poly Humboldt in 1961.

The Joan Boynton Frakes Memorial Scholarship Fund was created to honor the memory of Joan Boynton Frakes, who graduated from Cal Poly Humboldt in 1961. Born in Eureka, Joan was raised on her family’s dairy farm in the Eel River Valley, near Ferndale. Active in 4-H during her childhood, Joan showed her dairy cows at the fair. In 1958 Joan was crowned the very first Dairy Princess for Humboldt and Del Norte County.
 
While a home economics major at Cal Poly Humboldt, Joan met her future husband, Albert Frakes, also a student and football player at Cal Poly Humboldt. After graduation, Joan taught at McKinleyville High School and summer school at Arcata High. Joan was a dedicated mother and homemaker.

This fund memorializing Joan was created because of the significant role Humboldt played in her life and that of family members, as well as Joan’s belief in helping students become teachers.