The Arete Fund

We are pleased to announce that Amelia Peyton is The Arete Fund's scholarship recipient for 2023 at Menlo-Atherton High School. An annual entry-level scholarship for college or higher education is awarded each year to one or more deserving M-A seniors who show arete, or excellence of effort, in athletic achievement. The M-A Arete Scholarship Award was established in 1997 with proceeds from The Arete Fund Founder Dianne de Laet's literary memoir "Giants & Heroes: A Daughter's Memories of Y.A. Tittle" (Steerforth Press 1995.) Since that time, more than 35 scholarships have been awarded. We wish Amelia well as she pursues her studies and life goals. For more information about the scholarship fund, see www.aretefund.net.

With the school year underway, we are remembering fondly our time spent on the Peloponnese in late spring creating a heroes camp at the Arete Institute at ElaGaia, a retreat center near the Artemisian mountains outside of Argos, Greece. One of the first groups of students and educators came from a nearby special needs school for autistic children and youth. With the help of local co-sponsor Fougaro Nafplio, we spent an inspiring day sharing interactive activities related to Greek myths about heroes including The Arete Fund co-founder Dianne de Laet's story about Heracles that was translated for the occasion. Participants were given tee-shirts with the overall theme for the day "I Am The Hero of My Own Story." We'd love to hear your stories too, about how you use arete everyday to overcome life's challenges with excellence of effort. A sharing circle at the Heroes Camp at ElaGaia June 2023. Photo by Steve de Laet.

The first Minette & YA Tittle Arete Scholarship Award was given in 2023 and recently announced by Marshall High School Superintendent Richele Langley. Congratulations to Jaylon McFarland who received the award at his graduation this June in Marshall, Texas. He demonstrated his Arete while in high school by managing his own landscaping company. He was chosen as starting varsity center in football for the Marshall Mavericks and earned state honors as offensive lineman in '21-'22. He is involved in many activities for his community and his church. His award will support his education at the University of Texas at Tyler where he plans to study Mechanical Engineering. Thank you Jaylon for inspiring us all with your excellence of endeavor!

The Arete Fund is pleased to announce the publication of a beautiful book of photographs taken by Arete Fund co-director Steve de Laet. Taken in Greece fifty years ago, this collection of black and white streetscapes offers a poetic glimpse of a simpler time. The book is called “Offerings: Volume I Greece 1968-1970” and available on www.norfolkpress.com along with Arete Fund founder Dianne de Laet’s recent publication of her real life novel “Unmarked Grave: A Walking Song for My Cherokee Great-Grandmother.” A portion of the proceeds from each book supports the Arete Fund’s cultural, educational and humanitarian projects locally and globally.

Arete Fund founder Dianne Tittle de Laet has published a new book "Unmarked Grave: A Walking Song for My Cherokee Great-Grandmother." This true life novel is a vivid re-imagining of the life of Madge Watts aka Mama Loach and her family from four generations ago based on the stories told to Dianne by her mother the late Minnette Tittle De Loach. Dianne has painted an epic American picture of her family's trials and tribulations at a complicated time in history. Most of all she has created a very human portrait by telling in amazingly intimate detail the triumph of her great-grandmother's life over adversity. The book is available through www.norfolkpress.com and a portion of the proceeds from each sale will benefit the Arete Fund's scholarship fund as well as ongoing projects locally and globally.

We are pleased to announce the first Minette and Y.A. Tittle Arete Scholarship in 2023 at Marshall High School in Marshall, Texas. The annual award of $5,000 will be given to a graduating senior to pursue higher education in college or trade school. The criteria for the scholarship is showing Arete, or excellence of endeavor, in the arts or sport. The award is in memory of Minette and Y.A. Tittle who met at Marshall High School when they were teenagers. Y.A. was a Marshall Maverick who later quarterbacked for the SF 49ers and the New York Giants. He was enshrined in the Football Hall of Fame in Canton Ohio in 1971. Minette travelled the world and collected art for Folk Art International, a nonprofit that preserves ethnic culture. Thanks to Marshall High School Superintendent Richele Langley, ED.D. (Pictured (l-r) here with Dianne Tittle de Laet founder and director of the Arete Fund, and educators at Marshall High School) who will facilitate the award. Appreciation also to John Handley Tittle for being a primary donor for this scholarship.