Ted Pedas got a letter recently from a "financial guru" who said he could have been a millionaire by now if he had invested the money he donates to his old school.

"I care more about people," Pedas told the Farrell Area School Board Monday. "I care about human resources. That’s why I’m doing this."

What Pedas did Monday is what he’s done every year for 31 years -- give money to the school district to support existing programs and implement innovative ones.

Pedas, an astronomer who directs the school planetarium named after him and organizes scientific and historical sea cruises, turned over a check for $32,230, the largest amount of money he has ever given at one time. It brought his 31-year total to $327,212.

Aside from an outlay for maintenance and upkeep of the planetarium and continuation of existing programs, such as the Student Motivational and Improvement Awards for graduating seniors, Student of the Month Awards at the high school and elementary school and Volunteer of the Year Awards, Pedas created four new allocations.

Two of the new programs relate to the City of Farrell’s 100th birthday next year. He has given $1,250 for the school district and city to get together and create a program that benefits students in conjunction with the Centennial Celebration.

"I don’t want it to be hot dogs or wings," he said. "I want to it be significant."

Pedas suggested a contest or gift that reflects Farrell’s history, which Pedas said was built on steel, foreign and domestic immigration and varied ethnic backgrounds.

"I think I was much richer for having had this diversity," he said.

The second idea is an old one: instituting a school Hall of Fame honoring outstanding alumni. Pedas said he has talked about the idea for 20 years and three different superintendents have told him "next year."

"I’m not going to ask," he said. "I’m just going to give you the money."

The amount: $1,250.

The former Youngstown State University professor envisions the first set of honorees being named during the Centennial Celebration, and an in-school display for academic achievement that rivals the athletic trophy cases.

Pedas said one of his fondest memories of growing up was watching the festivities of the Farrell Golden Jubilee in 1951 from his father’s store at Broadway Avenue and Federal Street.

His other new programs are creating year-end $100 cash awards for the top Wheatland students in grades 1 through 12, and $2,000 for the Farrell Day Care Center, an idea he said came from district business office employee Debbie Bordell.

"You’ve been a model for kids to emulate," said Superintendent Richard R. Rubano Jr. after the board gave Pedas a standing ovation. "You’ve been a model for superintendents to emulate. No one prods you. You do it because you want to."