Background

The Cristina M. Weir Foundation was established in 2018 as a 501(c)3 organization to honor the life and tragic death of Cristina Marie Weir. Despite being faced with glaring obstacles as an adolescent born and raised in Prince William County, VA, Cristina never wavered from her resolve to set goals for herself and raise the bar each time those goals were surpassed. She knew that the key to beating the odds in life was to focus on her education.  Cristina was a model student at Stonewall Jackson High School in Manassas, VA, and went on to study at The College of William & Mary on a full scholarship. She was a thoughtful and diligent student, colleague, team player, loving daughter, sister and friend. 

On July 31, 2017, Cristina was killed in a violent attack while in her apartment in Denver, Colorado at the age of twenty-eight.  We formed this organization in her name, so that her dreams and aspirations may live on through the foundation’s recognition of individual students who are driven to achieve but face challenges that make it difficult to thrive at school.  It is with each award that we honor Cristina M. Weir, and that we pass on - as a community - the positive reinforcement and encouragement that Cristina received during her own journey.