In 2026, the Community Foundation awarded $306,750 in scholarships to 102 students through 129 individual awards.
Pictured are 49 of our newest scholarship recipients this spring—including 45 graduating seniors from local high schools, one College of the Albemarle graduate, and three community members.
In addition, 53 returning college students received renewal scholarships for the 2026–2027 academic year.
Outer Banks Community Foundation 2026 Scholarship Recipients
| Barbara Barnes Sherman Scholarship Fund | |||
| Graduating Senior | Laila Williamson | First Flight High School | $1,000 |
| Ben Birindelli Memorial Scholarship Fund | |||
| Graduating Senior | Violet Adams | First Flight High School | $1,000 |
| Best Family Scholarship Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Catherine Tyre | Manteo High School | $1,000 |
| Bill Jones Memorial Scholarship Fund | |||
| Graduating Senior | Samantha Schena | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $1,000 |
| Renewing Student | Addison Daniel | Currituck High School | $1,000 |
| Renewing Student | Jamie Holcomb | Manteo High School | $1,000 |
| Renewing Student | Jeni Hooper | Manteo High School | $1,000 |
| Renewing Student | Isabella Thorn | First Flight High School | $1,000 |
| Catherine Carrington Clawson Scholarship Fund | |||
| Graduating Senior | Kayla Austin | Manteo High School | $2,000 |
| Celia Rollison Meekins Fund | |||
| Graduating Senior | Xamara Perez-Chavarria | Manteo High School | $2,000 |
| Charles H. & Dorothy S. Luedemann Art Scholarship Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Thomas (Tommy) May | First Flight High School | $3,500 |
| Renewing Student | Fernanda Perez-Chavarria | Manteo High School | $3,500 |
| Graduating Senior | Owen Austin | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $3,500 |
| Courtney M. Burgess Memorial Scholarship Fund | |||
| Graduating Senior | Bianca Nason | First Flight High School | $1,000 |
| Renewing Student | Chloe Wienert | First Flight High School | $1,500 |
| Curtis Creech Memorial Scholarship Fund One-time Scholarship for First-Year Students |
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| Graduating Senior | Kayla Austin | Manteo High School | $1,400 |
| Dare County Association of Fire Officers Scholarship Fund in Memory of Douglas A. Remaley | |||
| Renewing Student | Kristin Bennett | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $2,000 |
| Renewing Student | Logan Botson | First Flight High School | $2,000 |
| Graduating Senior | Porter Hall | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $2,000 |
| Graduating Senior | Emma Siegel | First Flight High School | $2,000 |
| Dare Education Foundation Scholarship Program | |||
| Graduating Senior | Alaina Bonanni | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $1,000 |
| Graduating Senior | Sarah Ward | First Flight High School | $1,000 |
| Graduating Senior | Whitnney Salazar-Gutierrez | Manteo High School | $1,000 |
| Dare Education Foundation Scholarship Program: Gwen E. Botson One-time Scholarship for First-Year Students |
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| Graduating Senior | Keit Lokaj | First Flight High School | $2,500 |
| Graduating Senior | John Thomas | First Flight High School | $2,500 |
| Dare Education Foundation Scholarship Program: Mollie Shannon Gallop Scholarship | |||
| Graduating Senior | Jireh Benites-Polanco | First Flight High School | $1,000 |
| Denver Lindley, Jr. Arts Scholarship Fund | |||
| Graduating Senior | Marianna Riley | Manteo High School | $1,500 |
| Renewing Student | Olivia Fisher | First Flight High School | $1,500 |
| Renewing Student | Thomas (Tommy) May | First Flight High School | $1,500 |
| Doug and Maureen King Scholarship | |||
| Renewing Student | Skye Hall | First Flight High School | $1,000 |
| Dr. Frederic B. Jr. and Ernestine H. Westervelt Scholarship Fund | |||
| Graduating Senior | Angela Flores | Ocracoke High School | $1,500 |
| Renewing Student | Danny Palacios-Badillo | Ocracoke High School | $1,500 |
| Duck Woods Ladies Golf Founders Scholarship One-time Scholarship for First-Year Students |
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| Graduating Senior | Gray Hudspeth | First Flight High School | $2,000 |
| Duck Woods Ladies Tennis Association Scholarship One-time Scholarship for First-Year Students |
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| Graduating Senior | Natalia Buchta | Manteo High School | $4,000 |
| Graduating Senior | Clare Preisser | First Flight High School | $4,000 |
| Graduating Senior | Cora Walker | Manteo High School | $4,000 |
| Duck Woods Ladies Tennis Association Scholarship Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Grace Garman | Manteo High School | $3,000 |
| Duck Woods Womens Association Memorial Scholarship Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Alondra Lopez Lopez | Manteo High School | $1,000 |
| Renewing Student | Maggie McNinch | First Flight High School | $1,000 |
| Elizabeth and Wayne Evans Scholarship Fund | |||
| Graduating Senior | Angela Flores | Ocracoke High School | $5,000 |
| Renewing Student | Alayna Jester | First Flight High School | $5,000 |
| Renewing Student | Daisy Morales Bravo | First Flight High School | $5,000 |
| Renewing Student | Benjamin Hanusik | Manteo High School | $5,000 |
| First Flight Rotary Scholarship Fund | |||
| Graduating Senior | Saxon Heuneman | First Flight High School | $2,000 |
| Frank M. Cahoon Memorial Fund One-time Scholarship for First-Year Students |
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| Graduating Senior | Mackenzy O’Neal | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $1,400 |
| Gayle Grinstead Memorial Scholarship | |||
| Renewing Student | Logan Botson | First Flight High School | $3,000 |
| Graduating Senior | Ruby Gomez | Manteo High School | $3,000 |
| Renewing Student | Anita Lin | JP Knapp Early College High School | $3,000 |
| Graduating Senior | Cora Walker | Manteo High School | $3,000 |
| George W. Neighbors Memorial Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Kellen Morris | First Flight High School | $1,400 |
| Glenn & Pat Eure Endowment Fund for Arts Education | |||
| Renewing Student | Mary Williams | First Flight High School | $1,300 |
| Greg & Eden Honeycutt Scholarship Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Alan Garcia Velazquez | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $1,000 |
| Renewing Student | Mariah Temple | Ocracoke High School | $10,000 |
| Hanft McDevitt Family Scholarship Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | April McPherson | School out of the area | $1,700 |
| Healthcare Professionals Scholarship Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Emerson Mann | First Flight High School | $4,000 |
| Graduating Senior | Kayla Austin | Manteo High School | $4,000 |
| Helping Hand Cookie Jar Scholarship | |||
| Community Member | Amanda Hedgepeth | School out of the area | $2,000 |
| Howell Revier Shearouse, Jr. Scholarship Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Jeni Hooper | Manteo High School | $5,000 |
| Hugh A. McCullen Scholarship Fund | |||
| Graduating Senior | William Reed | Manteo High School | $1,000 |
| Inez Daniels Austin Scholarship Fund One-time Scholarship for First-Year Students |
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| Graduating Senior | Estrella Olan-Campos | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $3,000 |
| Irene Nolan Memorial Scholarship | |||
| Renewing Student | Audrey Kramer | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $1,000 |
| Jeannette U. McOwen Memorial Scholarship Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Jordan Haywood | First Flight High School | $1,000 |
| Graduating Senior | Alexander Ortega | Manteo High School | $1,000 |
| Jerry & Arlene Davis Scholarship Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Kylee Carter | Manteo High School | $6,000 |
| Graduating Senior | Jaylen Lindsey | First Flight High School | $6,000 |
| Renewing Student | Ebony Orgsbon | Manteo High School | $6,000 |
| Graduating Senior | Lana Walters | First Flight High School | $6,000 |
| Joe Riddick Trade & Technical Scholarship | |||
| Renewing Student | Trace Riden | First Flight High School | $1,500 |
| John T. Daniels, Lois Pearce Smith, and J. Bryan Smith Scholarship Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Spencer Twiford | Manteo High School | $1,000 |
| Josephine A. Oden Scholarship Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Sherlyn Mendieta-Lozano | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $5,000 |
| Karen Willis Memorial Scholarship | |||
| Renewing Student | Kelley Cook | Manteo High School | $5,000 |
| Graduating Senior | Karina De La O Caldera | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $5,000 |
| Renewing Student | Isabella Thorn | First Flight High School | $5,000 |
| Kellogg Cuthrell Manteo Rotary Scholarship Fund | |||
| Graduating Senior | Jaheem Banks | Manteo High School | $1,000 |
| Lillian W. Riddick Scholarship Fund for Nurses | |||
| Graduating Senior | Alyssa Bryan | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $2,000 |
| Renewing Student | Casia Ensenat | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $2,000 |
| Linda Porter’s Shear Genius Scholarship One-time Scholarship for First-Year Students |
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| Community Member | Ivy Daniels | Wanchese Christian Academy | $1,000 |
| Love of Learning Scholarship Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Kirra Ensenat | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $2,500 |
| Graduating Senior | Samantha Schena | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $2,500 |
| Lucian Griffin Scholarship Fund | |||
| Graduating Senior | Kalee Brackett | JP Knapp Early College High School | $1,000 |
| Manteo Rotary Club Percy W. and Elizabeth G. Meekins Scholarship Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Kylee Carter | Manteo High School | $2,500 |
| Manteo Rotary Scholarship Fund One-time Scholarship for First-Year Students |
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| Graduating Senior | Myrezza Holton | Manteo High School | $1,000 |
| Graduating Senior | William Reed | Manteo High School | $1,000 |
| Manteo Rotary Club Sonny Albarty Memorial Scholarship Fund | |||
| Graduating Senior | Francesca Evans | Manteo High School | $1,000 |
| Mark Ward Memorial Scholarship | |||
| COA Graduate | Autumn Price | School out of the area | $2,500 |
| Mary Anne McKay Memorial Scholarship Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Patrick Bravo | Manteo High School | $2,500 |
| COA Graduate | Brady Reid | School out of the area | $2,500 |
| Milton A. Jewell Scholarship Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Catherine Tyre | Manteo High School | $6,000 |
| Renewing Student | Parker Doerr | Home schooled | $6,000 |
| Renewing Student | Maggie McNinch | First Flight High School | $6,000 |
| Renewing Student | Colson Walker | Manteo High School | $6,000 |
| Graduating Senior | Chesapeake Woods | NC School of Science and Math | $6,000 |
| OBX Scholars Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Charlotte Ernst | First Flight High School | $4,000 |
| Renewing Student | Grace Vernesoni | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $2,000 |
| Renewing Student | Josephine Voight | First Flight High School | $4,000 |
| OBX Scholars Fund (COA) | |||
| Renewing Student | John Cook | Manteo High School | $2,000 |
| Ocracoke Friends of the Library Scholarship Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Noah O’Neal | Ocracoke High School | $1,000 |
| Osborne Scholarship Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Kiana Willis | Manteo High School | $1,500 |
| Graduating Senior | Reid Cerino | First Flight High School | $1,500 |
| Graduating Senior | Lana Walters | First Flight High School | $1,500 |
| Outer Banks Association of Realtors Scholarship Fund One-time Scholarship for First-Year Students |
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| Graduating Senior | Alaina Bonanni | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $1,500 |
| Graduating Senior | Reid Cerino | First Flight High School | $1,500 |
| Graduating Senior | Charlotte Chappelle | First Flight High School | $1,500 |
| Graduating Senior | Tyler Dayan | JP Knapp Early College High School | $1,500 |
| Graduating Senior | Angela Flores | Ocracoke High School | $1,500 |
| Graduating Senior | Addison Greene | First Flight High School | $1,500 |
| Graduating Senior | Myrezza Holton | Manteo High School | $1,500 |
| Graduating Senior | Samantha Schena | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $1,500 |
| Outer Banks Forum for the Lively Arts Scholarship Fund Renewable and One-time Scholarship for First-Year Students |
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| Graduating Senior | Charlotte Chappelle | First Flight High School | $1,000 |
| Graduating Senior | Sophia Vaught | First Flight High School | $1,000 |
| Graduating Senior | Hayden Ambrose | First Flight High School | $1,000 |
| Outer Banks Orthodontics Scholarship Fund | |||
| Graduating Senior | Nina Quiros | Manteo High School | $1,000 |
| R. Stewart Couch Hatteras Island Scholarship Fund One-time Scholarship for First-Year Students |
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| Graduating Senior | Reece Zombro | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $7,000 |
| R. Wayne Gray Memorial Scholarship Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Mary Kathryn Stroud | First Flight High School | $1,250 |
| Ralph & Ida Lee Saunders Scholarship Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Joshua Royals | Currituck High School | $1,000 |
| Ray Gray, Jr. Memorial Scholarship | |||
| Renewing Student | Elizabeth Fairbanks | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $1,000 |
| Rex Sample Fund for Courage and Determination One-time Scholarship for First-Year Students |
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| Graduating Senior | Richard Curry | First Flight High School | $1,000 |
| Robert E. Rollason, Jr. Memorial Scholarship Fund One-time Scholarship for First-Year Students |
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| Graduating Senior | John Thomas | First Flight High School | $1,000 |
| SAGA Community Focus Scholarship | |||
| Renewing Student | Kevin Gonzalez-Herrera | Manteo High School | $1,000 |
| Sawyer Scholarship Endowment Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Danny Palacios-Badillo | Ocracoke High School | $1,000 |
| Scott Day Family Scholarship Fund | |||
| Graduating Senior | Porter Hall | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $1,000 |
| Renewing Student | Alexis Zavala-Roldan | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $1,000 |
| Smith-Cooper Scholarship Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Tobias Fleckenstein | Manteo High School | $5,000 |
| Teddy and Savory Garrett Veterinary Medicine Scholarship Fund | |||
| Renewing Student | Brandon Woods | First Flight High School | $2,000 |
| Graduating Senior | Alaina Bonanni | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $2,000 |
| Vocational Opportunity Fund for Northeastern North Carolina | |||
| Renewing Student | Annie Coyle | First Flight High School | $1,800 |
| W. R. Davis Scholarship Fund | |||
| Graduating Senior | Cora Walker | Manteo High School | $1,000 |
| Wallace H. McCown Scholarship Fund One-time Scholarship for First-Year Students |
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| Graduating Senior | Jasmine Cook | First Flight High School | $1,500 |
| Graduating Senior | Karina De La O Caldera | Cape Hatteras Secondary School | $1,500 |
| Warren and Jane Davis Memorial Dare Math/Science Scholarship Fund | |||
| Graduating Senior | Xamara Perez-Chavarria | Manteo High School | $2,000 |
