Scholarship Set Up to Honor NSU’s Dylan Poche
A young angler from Natchitoches who was killed earlier this year will be honored through a scholarship in his name.
The Dylan Kyle Poche Memorial Fishing Scholarship will be given out every spring to a Natchitoches Central High School graduate who's a member of the Fishing Team, and plans to be a member of the Northwestern State University Fishing Team.
The scholarship was established by Poche's parents, Burt and Shelley Poche and Misty Ott. If there are no eligible students who apply, the funds will go to support the NSU Fishing Team and its activities.
Dylan graduated from NCHS in 2015, and was said to be an avid outdoorsman.
"Dylan had such a passion for fishing and we want the scholarship to go to someone who has that passion," said Shelley Poche in a news release. "It takes a lot for a kid to attend to attend college, keep up with their classes and stay involved in extracurricular activities. We also hope this will benefit a student with a financial need."
Dylan died January 31 at age 18 after being stabbed the previous evening at a boat ramp at Sibley Lake near Natchitoches. Another 18-year-old, Andrew Jacob Wallace, was charged with second degree murder in connection with Dylan's death.
A lot of people would agree that this scholarship is a fitting way to honor a young man who will be missed by many.
"Dylan never met a stranger and was always willing to help out his fellow teammates," Burt Poche said. "He was such a kind-hearted person who was very easy to get along with, and all his teammates loved him. Dylan had many goals with fishing being a major priority. Through this fishing scholarship we are hoping to help others achieve their dreams."
If you'd like to contribute to the scholarship, call NSU Associate Director of Development Jill Bankston at (318) 357-4414.