David Archuleta scholarship fundraising raises questions

MURRAY — A group of David Archuleta fans have donated $5,800 to Murray High School for a music scholarship — but the fundraising process is raising red flags.

The check cleared, and Murray High counselor Amy Knox says the fan group's spokesperson seems to have "good intentions."

However, there are questions that remain unanswered, including whether the group has Archuleta's permission to do the fundraising and why the group touts tax-deductible donations while not being registered as a charity or nonprofit organization.

Regardless, Murray School District is accepting the scholarship money for now.

Archuleta, an 18-year-old pop star who got his start on American Idol, is a Murray High graduate. Two Archuleta scholarships are available for $2,500 each, with applications accepted through April 30. The remaining $800 will be put toward next year's Archuleta scholarship.

Murray district spokeswoman D. Wright said the district isn't responsible for the fundraising of the Archuleta scholarship, even though a logo on the fan group's fundraising website, thedavidarchuletamusicscholarship.org, and related Facebook page reads: "The David Archuleta MHS Scholarship."

Wright said the district receives scholarship offers annually from various groups and accepts the funding "in good faith." The district doesn't have the legal department to investigate every scholarship that comes in, she said.

"Oversight of the collection process of a scholarship of this type is not an area in which we would be involved," Wright said in a written statement to the Deseret News.

The fan group is called "Hearts and Hands" and is led by retired schoolteacher Sharon McManus, 63, of Northfield, Minn.

McManus says her daughter and grandchildren are David Archuleta fans.

"He's a good role model for students all over the country," she said.

The scholarship funding is being collected via the website. The scholarship is meant to be a gift to Archuleta since he "has inspired a whole lot of people to reach out and do things for other people," McManus explained.

However, the Facebook site touting the fundraising effort states: "The David Archuleta Music Scholarship is a nonprofit organization." The site encourages fans several times to make "a tax-deductible donation" to the scholarship fund.

"Hearts and Hands" is not registered as a nonprofit organization or charity in Minnesota or Utah.

According to the Utah Charitable Solicitations Act, if an organization is soliciting for funds in Utah, which "Hearts and Hands" is doing, the group must be registered with the state, says Kevin Olsen, director of the Division of Consumer Protection, which is part of the Utah Department of Commerce.