This column recognizes not only the philanthropic endeavors of the Boothbay Region Student Aid Fund (BRSAF) and its generous donors, but also, and in particular, the career ambitions, diligence and determination of those student recipients of this community generosity. Recently, we have profiled future scientists, musicians, cosmetologists and sports journalists.

Today’s column spotlights a prospective filmmaker, Garrett H. Carter, who, as he told journalist Diane Randlett, has dreamed of making films since early childhood. Today, Carter attends Southern Maine Community College (SMCC). Upon earning his associate degree there, he has firm plans to next study film making at the New England School of Communications in Bangor.

Carter fixed his goals on a theater career while still at the Boothbay Region Elementary School. After a school day learning grammar and long division, the young, talented and witty Carter tromped off to the Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library to act in Connecting Lively Imaginative, Creative Kinds (CLICK) theater productions. His equally creative mother, Paulette, made most of his fabulous costumes. At Boothbay Region High School, and under the direction of Mary Miller, Carter starred as the lead character in a number of musicals, including “The King and I” and “White Christmas.”

At SMCC, Carter hopes to begin steering his existing stage experience in live theater toward a new career in film. He has even identified his future genre.

As Carter explains, he has always enjoyed making audiences laugh. “I love comedy,” Carter said. Look out Bill Murray.

Carter is the beneficiary of the “Jason Edwin Spinney Memorial Scholarship.” Ironically, Carter benefits from a tragedy that occurred over 30 years ago when a Southport Island child, Jason Edwin Spinney, only five years old, died in a horrible accident.

In the wake of that tragedy, the Spinney family regularly provided a scholarship to Southport high school graduates in Jason’s name. A few years ago, in 2009, the family following that earlier tradition, endowed a scholarship in Jason’s name with the BRSAF. It is now one of the BRSAF’s 54 “Named Scholarships.”

The Boothbay Region Student Aid Fund is currently in the midst of its annual fund drive. Contributions to the BRSAF can be sent to P.O. Box 293, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538. For more information on the BRSAF, go to www.boothbayharborstudentaidfund.org.