Meet Carson Kirk, 2024 Dream Big Award Honoree

By: Katie Rodemich ’02

Carson Kirk, an esteemed Quincy Public Schools Foundation trustee emeritus, has afforded remarkable generosity and commitment to the Quincy Public Schools Foundation. His support has played a crucial role in developing the organization and allows the Foundation to positively impact Quincy Public School students and staff. QPSF is excited to honor and recognize Carson’s exceptional contributions with the DREAM BIG award at this year’s annual ‘A Night to Dream Big’ for his dedication throughout the years and for his part in support the Circle of Investments program.

“I’m very touched and honored as I don’t really like to toot my own horn. I am lucky to have this opportunity to try to give back to things that were important to my parents, particularly to education, because my parents and my grandmother were all teachers,” said Carson in a recent interview.

“My grandmother, my mother’s mother, Dena Gooch Eakle was a third-grade teacher at Franklin School, which was later named Franklin Square. My mother, Carolyn, graduated from Quincy High School in 1944, and then taught 8th grade English and American History at Quincy Junior High school from 1948 to1960. When she got pregnant with me, she left teaching. My father, Houston Kirk, was from Saint Louis originally, but he moved to Quincy.  He taught advanced mathematics at Quincy High School for twenty-two years and was responsible for introducing calculus into Quincy’s curriculum.”

Carson has a profound appreciation for education and a remarkable commitment to giving back. He was the first to contribute to the Quincy Foundation for Quality Education’s (QFQE) Circle of Investments program in memory of his father, Houston Kirk. This circle provides funding for math education throughout the Quincy Public School district.

“My dad passed away in 2002 and shortly after he passed, my mother and I were in Quincy visiting. I had a meeting with Loree Korb and Carol Mickle. They were just getting the Circles of Investments program off the ground at that time. I created a circle for him, the Houston Kirk Memorial Fund For Mathematics. Every year since then the Kirk Family Foundation contributes or sets up a Circle. I feel lucky to have the opportunity to give back to education because it was obviously very important to my parents and grandmother as they were educators.”

The Circles of Investment are endowed funds that offers a unique and impactful way to pay tribute to a person, group, or organization of choice, all the while providing crucial financial support to the Quincy Public School system. Donors can specify the exact purpose of their investment, cultivating a lasting and transformative impact on the community’s future generations. Through the oversight of nearly one hundred distinct Circles, the Quincy Public Schools Foundation provides school administrators and teachers with a means to obtain funding for special projects that may not have other sources of funding, while also ensuring the continuation of programs during economic volatility and budget reductions.

In memory of his grandmother Dena Gooch Eakle, a former third-grade teacher at Franklin School, Carson created the Dena Gooch Eakle – Elementary Education Circle to advance elementary education in the District. Dena’s passion for teaching influenced her daughter Carolyn to become a teacher and this circle celebrated in 2005 continues her legacy.

In commemoration of his mother, Carolyn Eakle Kirk, Carson established the Carolyn Eakle Kirk Scholarship for Language Arts & History Circle. Carolyn taught language arts and history at Quincy Junior High School from 1948 to 1960, before her departure to focus on raising her son.

This fall, Carson established the Carolyn & Houston Kirk Family Circle for Mental & Physical Wellness, which emphasizes the importance of student and staff members’ well-being and health.

Carson’s narrative of his family isendearing, especially when he recounts the story of their matchmaker-facilitated introduction. Their bond was fortified by their common profession as teachers.

“The school administrator at the time, Robert E. Meyer, ‘Bob,’ back in 1949, was the person who introduced my parents to each other. They probably would have met eventually, especially since they were both teaching, but it was Bob who introduced them at a teachers’ conference. I used to kid about it, that if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have come along.”

Carson was born in Quincy and lived here until he was twelve. His father, Houston, retired in 1972 from teaching and then moved the family to Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 1973.

“We moved to Florida because my grandmother, my mother’s mother, the one who was a teacher, passed away in 1971 and we didn’t have any relatives to speak of in this area. I was crazy about her and that was the first real big sadness in my life. In the meantime, my other grandparents, my dad’s mother and step- father, had already retired in Fort Lauderdale. I was a competitive swimmer in those days. I guess my parents thought I had a better opportunity to compete in swimming in Florida. When I was a kid, I used to swim at Sheridan Swim Club and the Quincy Country Club, which was fun!”

Although Carson relocated to Florida at the age of twelve, he had the opportunity to receive a valuable education at one of Quincy’s most esteemed elementary schools, Adams Elementary School. Carson has a great deal of fond memories of the building and teachers.

“When I lived in Quincy, I went to Adams School. I attended in the mid to late sixties and early seventies. At that time, Adams Elementary school consisted of kindergarten through sixth grade. I loved Adams and I was thankful I went to a school like Adams that provided a good start for me. I was in public school in Quincy and my parents had always taught in the public schools, but when I moved to Florida, I guess the public schools down there didn’t have a great reputation, so my parents enrolled me in a private school.”

Despite moving away from Quincy at an early age and living in Florida, Carson has maintained great relationships with many in Quincy. Carson continues to have strong, lasting relationships, which includes a lifelong friendship with Robin Walden since childhood. 

“She’s one of my childhood friends. When I was a kid, Robin and I were in the same Sunday school.”

When Carson returns to Quincy, he always has a renewed appreciation for our town’s historic school buildings, namely Quincy Jr. High School and Baldwin School.

“In those days, in the late forties, early fifties, Quincy Junior High School and Quincy Senior High School were in the same building. It wasn’t until 1957 that they opened the high school at Baldwin. It’s funny because my dad taught until 1972 and he was involved in some of the consulting for the new high school, but we moved to Florida in 1973, just shortly before they opened a new high school. So, when we come back to visit over the years, the 1974 high school building always seems new to us even though it’s 50 years old.”

Carson Kirk holds the city of his birth in high regard and has demonstrated a deep commitment to education and philanthropy, which has been instrumental in the success of the Quincy Public Schools Foundation and its mission to benefit the Quincy Public Schools community. The Kirk Family Fund is a testament to his family’s legacy and a reflection of their dedication to giving back to the community. The Quincy Public Schools Foundation proudly acknowledges Carson’s outstanding contributions and looks forward to celebrating his achievements at the upcoming ‘A Night to Dream Big’ gala on Friday, November 1, 2024.