Weakley County Graduates Net Over $5.7 Million in Scholarships

WEAKLEY COUNTY — Several graduates from Weakley County’s four high schools advancing to further educational opportunities are doing so with the financial support of their communities and the institutions they will attend. The total for scholarship funds issued to graduating seniors is estimated to exceed $5.7 million.

Colleges and universities often deal directly with the incoming freshmen regarding financial assistance. In a time of school closures, obtaining complete information on all such gifts is difficult to obtain. However, school administration wanted to ensure that local gifts were acknowledged.

“These scholarships represent Weakley County investing in the future. We are grateful for not only the immediate impact on our students’ continuing education but also for an opportunity to celebrate causes, organizations, and individuals that the gifts honor,” said Weakley County Schools Director Randy Frazier upon receiving notification of the gifts made to the Class of 2020.

Dresden scholarships total $2,063,000 this year. The local scholarships and Class of 2020 recipients are:

The Dresden Foundation Scholarship — Kara Needham, Brooke Parker and Tristen Trevathan

The Lions Club Scholarship — Alex Branscum

The Dresden Rotary Club Scholarship — Alex Branscum, Dryver Finch and Emma Winstead

The Westbrook Family Scholarship — Emma Winstead

The Kaci Bailey Scholarship — Kara Needham and Emma Winstead

The Moran Memorial Scholarship — Aiden King

Weakley County Sports Hall of Fame Scholarship — Rachel Childress and Divers Lockhart

Tennessee Iris Festival Scholarship — Katie Washburn and Dryver Finch

Dresden High School Beta Club Scholarship — Alexa Nichols

Dresden FFA Alumni Scholarship — Bennett Higgs

Dresden FFA Mangum Oil Scholarship — Parker Maxey

Dresden FFA B. J. Shanklin Scholarship — Travis Platt

Dresden FFA Ned Ray McWherter Scholarship — Natalie Weidenbach

Dresden FFA Alumni Scholarship — Brianna Williams

The Weakley County Young Professionals Scholarship — Kinsey Reagan

Mack’s Grove Baptist Church Scholarship — Rachel Childress, Alexa Nichols and Katie Washburn

Sharon United Presbyterian Church Scholarship — Grant Roberts

Gleason’s graduating class received $646,307 in scholarship monies. Recipients of the local contributions are:

Kenady Atkins — Sam Guthrie Scholarship and Weakley County Sports Hall of Fame Scholarship

Katie Freeman — Bank of Gleason Outstanding Senior Scholarship

Lillie Freeman — J.C. Carey Memorial Scholarship

Martha Nichols — Derek Hagler Memorial Scholarship

Cody O’Callaghan — Gleason Gazelles Scholarship and Weakley County Sports Hall of Fame Scholarship

Claire O’Connor — Gleason Gazelles Scholarship

Elizabeth Smith — Bob Owen Memorial Scholarship sponsored by the Bank of Gleason

Alyssa Wade — Paul Oliver Memorial Scholarship funded by Alex and Kate Bynum

Greenfield seniors collected $1,075,000 in scholarship funding. Those receiving local scholarships are:

Barbara Sims Memorial Scholarship — Trevon Watkins

Greenfield Banking Company Scholarship — Tess Darby

Greenfield High School Alumnae Scholarship — Megan Pugh, Maya Rash

Joe and Anita Herndon Greenfield Alum Scholarship — Chloe Moore McNeil

Mossie Young Orr Memorial Scholarship — Kassidy Harris

Greenfield Rotary Club Don Pitt Memorial Scholarship — Colton Freeman

Greenfield High School Student Council Scholarship — Bailey Gordon

James Porter Memorial Scholarship — Bailey McAlister

Kate and Luke Coats and Sheryl Simmons Scholarship — Kassidy Harris and Bailey McAlister

Michael Maness Memorial Scholarship — Lydia Hazlewood

Plastic Products Marlene A. Smith Foundation Scholarship — Alexis Hunt, Kody Toty, David Bolles, Debani Bonilla, and Breydon Dodson

Weakley County Sports Hall of Fame Scholarship — Lydia Hazlewood and Trevon Watkins

Jimmy L. Croom Memorial Scholarships — Lydia Hazlewood and Chloe Moore McNeil

Parker Hannefin Scholarship — Megan Pugh

Weakley County Young Professionals Scholarship — Hayleigh Harris

Woodmen of the World Scholarship — Lydia Hazlewood

Additionally, each year Greenfield seniors who earned a score of 25 or higher on their ACT are also gifted with funds from an anonymous donor. This year those recipients are Chloe Moore McNeil, Myra Rash, Megan Pugh, Luke Allen, Samantha Reynolds, and MiKayla Peterson.

Westview administration estimates the Class of 2020 received more than $2 million in funding for their continued education. Locally, the Charger Foundation distributed gifts to Jenna Freeman, Isaac Ivy, Jalen King, Destin McKeel, Ivy Reynolds, and Cate Spencer.

Destin McKeel received the Anna Kate Wenz Scholarship. Alexis Callins and Garrett Byrd received the Weakley County Hall of Fame Scholarship. Jalen King received the A.F. Bridges scholarship.

Due to the closures, the school did not receive details on other local funds distributed directly to students. Those individuals and organizations will be acknowledged as the school is notified.