LTHS Gets $2M Donation From Late Student's Fund

LA GRANGE, IL – Lyons Township High School on Tuesday accepted a $2 million donation from a late student's charitable fund.

The Stacy Ann Baker Charitable Fund contributed the money to "facilitate and enhance the educational and athletic opportunities" for student-athletes at the school, according to a school news release.

The money will be used to pay for the modernization of the girls varsity softball field at South Campus, the school said. After the project is done, the field is set to be named "Baker Field" in a formal ceremony.

Stacy Ann Baker was a standout softball player at Lyons Township High School. She graduated in 1985. (Courtesy of Lyons Township High School)

A 1985 graduate, Baker excelled on the softball field and was named the Most Valuable Player at the school before earning a softball scholarship at Northern Illinois University, according to the news release.

After college, Baker became a member of the Chicago Board of Trade and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, where she started in the trading pits, the school said.

She went on to serve financial futures clients at the Chicago Board of Trade.

In 1999, she died in a car crash at the age of 32, the school said.

The board approved the donation with Baker's brother, Michael, in attendance.

Superintendent Brian Waterman said the school was "extremely thankful for the generous donation."

"We feel privileged to remember Stacy and her love of softball by modernizing the Varsity Softball Field," Waterman said. "Stacy’s passion for our school and softball will positively impact student-athletes in the future!"