The Dr. James A. Sandfort Scholarship has been established by the Board of Directors of the Crestwood-Sunset Hills Area Chamber of Commerce in recognition of Sandfort’s 17 years of dedicated service as superintendent of the Lindbergh School District and his passion for excellence in education.

Sandfort, who announced in April 2006 that he would retire at the end of the 2007-2008 school year, has served as superintendent since 1991 — the longest tenure in the same school district of any superintendent in St. Louis County.

Beginning with the spring of 2009, the Chamber of Commerce annually will award a graduating senior student of meritorious honors the Dr. James A. Sandfort Scholarship to be used toward a college education.

The Crestwood-Sunset Hills Area Chamber of Commerce’s Scholarship Commit-tee carefully will select a candidate it believes best portrays the standards Sandfort has held in high regard — that of honesty, integrity, hard work, community service, sense of humor and excellence, according to a news release issued by the chamber.

In a letter to Sandfort, chamber officials stated, “Your passion for education and service to this community has made the Lindbergh School District one of the best districts in the entire state … For the past 17 years, you have made this community your No. 1 priority.”

Sandfort was honored in 1996 as the chamber’s Business Person of the Year.

He served on the Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors for six years, culminating with the office of president of the board in 2000.

Sandfort was presented a certificate establishing this scholarship at a chamber meeting last week.