James H. & Sara M. Murphy Fund

James & Sara Murphy established this fund in 2013. The Murphys are parents of Kathleen Evarts, and the grandparents of Sara and Caroline Evarts. Jim was a Chemistry Teacher and the Science Department Chairman for Wakefield Public Schools (35 years). He is a retired Lt. Colonel, U.S. Army (30 years). He served as the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Commissioner (24 years) and as Co-owner of Quannapowitt Publishers, Inc. educational guides (12 years). Jim is a member of the Wakefield Lodge of Elks Scholarship Committee (1980-present) and a Member and Director of the Friends of Lake Quannapowitt and Director of the FOLQ Lake testing program (1990-present). Sara Murphy was an English Teacher for the Saugus Public Schools (24 years). She was a Fiscal Customer Service/Personnel Training Specialist for the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston (1990-96) and was Co-owner and Writer for Quannapowitt Publishers, Inc. educational guides (12 years). Sara has served as Member of the Sweetser Lecture Services Advisory Committee (24 years); the Hartshorne House Board of Directors (1997-2012); the Wakefield Adult Mentors (publicity, 2002-2012); and the Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry (12 years-present).

Scholarship Recipients

2025

  • Elena Greco — University of Massachusetts, Amherst
  • Ryan Sallee — University of Vermont

2024

  • Megan Taggart — Sarah Lawrence College

2023

  • Hope Melanson — Connecticut College