As area students leave for college, many will have their tuition loads made lighter by scholarships awarded from the Greenbrier Valley Community Foundation (GVCF). Fifty-four outstanding students from the public high schools in Greenbrier, Monroe, and Pocahontas counties were awarded scholarships totaling over $96,000.00 in 2016.
The Greenbrier Valley Community Foundation currently administers forty-four scholarships for higher education. Students apply directly to the community foundation for fourteen of these scholarships. Most are one-time grants but several are renewable for up to four years such as the Gay and Becky Shinaberry Scholarship worth $22,000 for a female student at Pocahontas County High School, The Greenbrier Military School Leadership Scholarship worth $12,000 for one student from Greenbrier East High School and one from Greenbrier West High School, The Lewisburg Business and Professional Women’s Club Scholarship for a nontraditional female student to attend the Greenbrier Campus of New River CTC, and the Roe Walker Family Fund/Janice Walker Pogue Scholarship for the White Sulphur Springs Community.
New scholarships for 2016 include:
• The Greenbrier Military School Leadership Scholarship, awarded to students who visit the GMS museum, read a book on leadership, and write an essay about them. Recipients were John Hunter Kirby and Sarah Brunty.
• Bruce R. McGinnis Memorial Scholarship, awarded to one female and male outstanding high school senior graduating from Greenbrier East High School. Recipients were Hannah Crist and Jacob Teubert.
• Greenbrier Tractor Sales/Arbuckle Future Farmers of America Scholarship Fund, awarded to a member of the Greenbrier East Future Farmers of America chapter who intends to major in agriculture or an agriculture related field. Recipient was Olivia McHale.
• University of Virginia/Arbuckle Cheerleading Scholarship Fund, awarded to a member of the Greenbrier East cheerleader who has been on the team for at least three years, exemplifies leadership, and is on the honor roll. Recipient was Jessie Surgeon.
The Greenbrier Valley Community Foundation is a collection of funds that make distributions to support the charitable needs of our community. It has distributed over $3.5 million since it was established in 1999. For more information about GVCF and its grants, visit www.gvfoundation.org or contact Courtney Smith, executive director, at 304-645-5620, info@gvfoundation.org.
