Marty Porter dedicated more than two decades of public service to Wyandotte County and the greater Kansas City community. She was the founder and Executive Director of the Children's Museum of Kansas City from 1988 through 2008. The Children's Museum was located first at the Kansas State School for the Blind. Within a year, the Museum outgrew this space and moved to the Indian Springs Shopping Center. The Museum continued to grow with new exhibits, programs, and a gift shop. In 1993, the Recycled Materials Center was added as a source of inexpensive, creative materials for the classroom or group leaders who work with children. In May of 2008, Marty retired as Executive Director. Marty was instrumental in effecting the merger of the Wonderscope Children's Museum and the Children's Museum of Kansas City. In August, the Indian Springs location of the new Wonderscope Children's Museum of Kansas City (WCMKC) was closed and moved to the Wonderscope site in Shawnee until a new museum is built.

During her years at the Museum, Marty was also an active member in many other non-profit organizations, such as the Junior League of Wyandotte & Johnson Counties, a member and Past President of the Special Education Advisory Council of Wyandotte County Special Education Cooperative, and many other civic organizations. Marty was honored with numerous service awards, including Outstanding Woman of the Year 1991 Women's Chamber of Commerce and Kansan Newspaper's Salute to Women 1991 for her non-profit business work as well as for her dedication to children in the urban core of Kansas City, Kansas. Marty has continued to work as a consultant to WCMKC and will continue to be remembered by many for her decades of public service.

WCMKC is proud to carry on the Marty Porter tradition of service through the Marty Porter Scholarship Fund. Scholarship funds will be used to supplement programming and admission costs for organizations and families from the urban core. Through the Marty Porter Scholarship Fund, all children in the Kansas City area urban core will have the opportunity to visit Wonderscope Children's Museum of Kansas City.

Scholarships are available to preschools, schools or programs that serve a high percentage of children who are eligible for free or reduced lunch. Scholarships may be awarded for all or a percentage of the field trip admission fee.

To apply, download an application here, or call Wonderscope Children's Museum of Kansas City at 913-287-8888 for an application form.

Please complete the entire form and return to:

Marty Porter Scholarship Fund
Wonderscope Children's Museum of Kansas City
5700 King
Shawnee, KS 66203
Fax: 913-268-4608

The Marty Porter Scholarship Committee will meet to review applications after the deadline on the form. A Wonderscope Children's Museum of Kansas City staff member will contact you with the committee's response. Once you receive your response, you may schedule your field trip to the museum.

If you would like to make a donation to the Marty Porter Scholarship fund, please, follow this link.