The late Catherine “Kit” Longe Stewart was memorialized Wednesday at Holy Spirit Catholic Church east of Hemet.An event scheduled for Wednesday night, the annual seniorawards ceremony at Hemet High, could be considereda second tribute to Stewart, a respected Hemet High counselor from 1968 to 1983.Stewart, who grew up in New York, died May 11 in Hemet at age 86. She is survived by her husband, Donald Stewart.She had a momentous effect on Hemet High senior awards ceremonies.The year-ending program is remarkable because of the numerous awards, and substantial amount of money, given to seniors. For the event, seniorswear graduation gowns in the school’s stadium.Those scholarships typically total about $200,000 annually, according to Sunshine Kifer, a secretary in Hemet High’s counseling department who takes on the extra duty of organizing the program. About 400 awards were set to be given to more than 250 seniors this year. Many are scholarships donated by the community.Graduates receiving cash given to boost their college careers owe a debt to Stewart, a hard-working counselor who retired before they were born.“She was a pillar of the community, not to mention the one who is responsible for putting Hemet High’s local scholarship program on the map,” retired Hemet High counselor Doug Mercer informed me from Florida after he heard she died.According to her longtime friend, Gwendolyn Schlange, a retired teacher who serves on the Mt. San Jacinto College board of trustees, hardly any scholarships were offered when Stewart arrived on campus in 1968.The number of awards quickly multiplied.Stewart was a woman who valued college education. She had worked as dean of girls and guidance counselor at Claremont High, a school located in a college town, and emphasized college attendance when she arrived in Hemet.She began visiting businesses, service clubs and members of longtime familiesin hope of attracting cash awards to give to worthy graduating seniors. She was quite successful, and many of those awards are continued today.Joel Hameister, another retired Hemet High counselor, was amazed by Stewart when he worked with the woman for three years. He continued her award-organizing duties following her retirement.CONTACT THE WRITER:951-368-9078 or[email protected]