Community Foundation Awards $192,000 in Scholarships

The Outer Banks Community Foundation awarded $192,000 in scholarships this spring, helping students from across the Outer Banks achieve their educational dreams.

30 graduating seniors from Cape Hatteras Secondary School, Manteo High School, Currituck County High School, Ocracoke School, and First Flight High School received scholarships for the 2019-2020 academic year. Of these students, ten received awards that are renewable for up to four years of college.

In addition to these awards, the Community Foundation has also renewed financial support to 19 current college students who earned multi-year scholarships.

The Community Foundation launched multiple new scholarship programs this year. In memory of local education advocate and the first female board member of the Community Foundation, the Josephine A. Oden Scholarship is a four-year, $20,000 award for students from Hatteras Island. The scholarship was awarded to Cape Hatteras Secondary School senior Nyah Machie.

“To me, receiving this award meant I was one step closer to taking my life to the next level by attending college,” Machie said. “I had gone through so many moments where I completely gave up on the idea of college because I never thought I would be able to afford it. Receiving this award was the extra kick I needed to remind myself that anything you put your mind to is possible, and to never, ever give up.”

The Howell Revier Shearouse, Jr. Scholarship is another four-year, $20,000 award for a student from Dare County who plans to attend a public college, university, or technical school in North Carolina, and who has a demonstrated work history while in high school. The scholarship was awarded to First Flight High School senior Hannah Ellington.

“This award means a lot to me because I’ve had a constant worry for years that I was not going to be able to pay for college, or that I was going to have to take out a lot of loans,” Ellington said. “Now I feel a lot less worried going into college.”

The Elizabeth and Wayne Evans Scholarship is a four-year, $10,000 award for nursing students from the Outer Banks with demonstrated financial need. The scholarship, inspired by the generosity Elizabeth Evans was shown as a young nursing student, was awarded to senior Josefine Harmon of Cape Hatteras Secondary School. Harmon also received the Mabel O. Cooper Scholarship and the Greg and Eden Honeycutt Scholarship.

The Milton A. Jewell Academic Scholarship, a four-year, $24,000 award, went to Isabel Estes of First Flight High School. First Flight High School senior Brianna Curi received the Jerry and Arlene Davis Scholarship, another four-year, $24,000 award. For a full list of scholarship recipients, please visit www.obcf.org/scholarships/recent-recipients.

Scholarship funds have been generously donated by individuals, families, businesses, nonprofits, civic groups, and government agencies to help local students pursue higher education. Any community member can establish a scholarship fund with the Community Foundation by calling Lorelei Costa at 252-261-8839, or donate to an existing fund online at www.obcf.org/donate.

 

Pictured Above: Jillian Webster (left) and Nyah Machie (right) receive the Inez Daniels Austin and Josephine A. Oden Scholarships, respectively, from Jeff Oden. Photograph by Biff Jennings, Shooters at the Beach.