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.