The Kody Hodge Foundation is excited to provide not only scholarships to very special, young thespians but also to help such thespians reach their goals both on and off the stage with an annual UIL One-Act Play Festival and a space to audition for area colleges!
Our Mission
To perfectly encapture a person like Kody Hodge would be a near-impossible task. We, as a foundation, strive to uphold his beloved memory by starting at the very basis of who Kody was and lending a helping hand to those in need as he did countless times. We hope to enter this new chapter with Kody's strong, fighting spirit pushing us on as we help a very bright, ambitious group of students achieve greatness!
Who's Kody Ryan Hodge?
“[Kody was] freedom. But [also] caring. Like that was the thing that I don’t think a lot of people knew, but he was so caring and wise.”
“When it came to Kody, that boy lived, breathed, and loved theatre . . . If he had never done theatre, he would be a totally different person. Theatre was such a huge impact on his life and I truly think it made him who he was.”
“Fearless, genuine, kind. Kody was a friend in the truest form of the word. His love was even greater than his talent. My senior year of high school, Kody joined as a wide-eyed freshman. He captivated everyone. We became fast friends, riding the bus together to shows, going on weekend adventures, and simply enjoying life together. The year went by and prom night approached. When Kody found out I didn’t have a date, he paid an upperclassman to buy 2 tickets so he could go with me, stating that I deserved to have someone to go with. Not only did he take me, but he rented a limo so that the entire theatre crew could go together. That night will be forever held in my heart. It was a night full of friendship, laughter, and love . . . and Kody played a role in all of it. His soul impacted everyone, and I am certain it will continue to do so. A love like that never dies.”
“He was my first bouquet anyone had ever given me, my infuriating and lovely boy who adored to challenge those around him from their way of thinking to wrestling, and he was my favorite spot in all of Amarillo—somewhere atop a fountain at midnight, looking at the stars, admiring how the lights made the water sparkle, and speaking of how the world came to be and how strange and beautiful it is that we are somehow apart of it. Losing him is like losing a part of your heart you didn’t know you could go on living without. I’ll never be able to take care of him again, but I will never, ever forget his smile or how he cared for others.”
“Kody was a great person. He may have slept late into the afternoon, but he still lived life to the absolute fullest. He was zealous about his acting and rarely failed to get a leading role. We are fortunate to have just had him in our lives. He was intelligent, cunning, outgoing, and passionate. The world was his stage. As we got older, we grew closer, fought less, and eventually became great friends in spite of the obvious age gap. As much as I wish he could come through the doors and say, “‘Sup, homie?”, we must accept that his final curtain call has come. However, I do not believe that Kody would want us to be overwhelmed with sorrow, but instead applaud his performance that ended all too soon and give him one final standing ovation. Please, if you could all give him a last round of applause for this unfathomably wonderful brother, son, grandson, friend, and performer...Even though he can’t be here with us today, he’ll always remain in our minds.”
“Kody was a different kind of person. One second he would be the life of the party, getting everyone excited, and then the next he would be giving someone some sort of therapy . . . (most of the time it was helpful). He would be the person who kept everyone active and together . . . He always knew when something was wrong with his friend. I remember one time he just showed up to my work and only sat there and had a Coke. I asked him why he just came in there for that and he replied that he just had a feeling that I needed a friend and he was completely right. Words can’t properly describe Kody, and that’s because he was such an amazing spirit. He could be your best friend or your biggest annoyance that day, but you still wanted him around . . . Kody was my family and he was the glue that kept most of us together from my high school. I loved him dearly and he forever touched my heart.”
