Music icon and Fairfield-native John Mayer is honoring his father’s 90th birthday with a scholarship fund in his name.

The Richard Mayer Scholarship was established through Fairfield County’s Community Foundation to commemorate Richard Mayer for the more than 40 years he spent working in Bridgeport schools.

Seniors at Bridgeport’s public high schools, who plan to follow in Mayer’s footsteps as a teacher or educational administrator, will be eligible to apply for the four-year scholarship. The recipient will receive $5,000 each year toward their college degree.

News 12 Connecticut is told recipients of the scholarship will be required to keep a certain GPA in order to maintain the scholarship.

Dr. Bettye Perkins, founder and CEO of the pre-college program "Today's Students, Tomorrow's Teachers" says many of her students from Central and Harding High School will likely apply for the scholarship.

“My philosophy is that the future workforce really depends on having great workers,” she says. “If you have great teachers, then teachers help to cultivate the great workers.”

News 12 is told Fairfield County's Community Foundation plans to award the first Richard Mayer Scholarship next spring to a student starting college.