Third-year Missouri Southern State University student and math major Zane Smith, of Wheaton, has plans to establish a scholarship for Barry County high school students entering a trade program.

Initial fundraising will begin with a “Bingo Night,” scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday at the SWMO Restore and Builds, located at 201 E. 7th Street in Cassville.

When asked to complete a community service project for his “Service Learning” class (part of the Joplin Honors Program at Missouri Southern), Smith was at a loss at first.

The Service Learning course, designed to allow honors students to “experience firsthand the value and challenges of community service as they simultaneously participate in and analyze the culture of a local service institution,” is sound in principle and has as its end goal to teach students to develop their own personal philosophies of service.

“The issue I ran into was that I really didn’t have any [service-oriented] connections in Joplin,” said Smith, who is from Wheaton.

However, with permission from his instructor, Smith will be bringing a much-needed community service to Barry County.

“I have friends from Wheaton and Exeter high schools who entered trade programs for training in welding and computer programming, but they discovered there was no financial assistance available for them as there is for students pursuing traditional college degrees,” Smith said.

As his community service mission, Smith plans to take steps toward leveling that imbalance.

“I would like to establish a scholarship for Barry County students entering a trade program,” he said. “Basically, any student would be eligible who is entering a program where a certificate is required, but not a degree.”

Smith has plans to team up with the SWMO Restore in Cassville, where his mother, Tabitha Cooper, is the manager.

“The Restore will establish the scholarship,” Smith said.

Fundraising, however, is definitely on Smith’s agenda. He and a friend, with help from the Restore, are organizing the Nov. 21 “Bingo Night.” Proceeds from the pay-per-card event, priced similarly to other bingo games, will go toward the establishment of a scholarship, Smith said. Activities will begin at 6 p.m.

“We welcome donations from local businesses that can be raffled off, too,” he said.

Donations can be dropped off at the SWMO Restore and Builds at 201 E. 7th Street, in Cassville.