JACKSON, Tenn. (April 10, 2025) – Leaders Education Foundation, a non-profit 501c (3) organization, hosted their sixth Annual Meeting on Thursday, April 10, 2025, and awarded $31,980 for collegiate scholarships and to community programs across West Tennessee.
“We are thankful for how we’ve been able to implement our mission to Give Forward to education initiatives in our community,” said Leigh Anne Bentley, President of Leaders Education Foundation. “For every educational program, scholarship, and grant we provide, we are able to empower educators and students by giving them the opportunity to grow and pursue their dreams for the future.”
Due to community partners and the kindness of generous donors, the Foundation was able to give away $26,000 in collegiate scholarships. These scholarships are for graduating high school seniors who will be attending a college or university. The top scholarships included video submissions to give their advice on “How to Be Financially Fit.”
Scholarship winners include:
- Brayden Boyd – JCM – Early College High
- Braden Burdick – Bartlett High School
- Clark Burkhead – South Side High School
- Caden Chan – Madison Academic Magnet High School
- Stewart Conner – South Fulton Middle and High School
- Siler Criswell – Milan High School
- George Goldsby – Crockett County High School
- Allie Reese Herzke – Fayette Academy
- Izzie Jones – Peabody High School
- Reagan Jones – Milan High School
- William Kilburn – University School of Jackson
- Aubree Kindle – Dyer County High School
- Lauren Levens – Homeschool
- Lydia Logan – Faith Academy
- Nevaeh Nesbitt – North Side High School
- Mary Nye – Madison Academic Magnet High School
- Dillon Reynolds – Gibson County High School
- Lana Scherer – South Gibson County High School
- Luke Tankersley – Augustine School
- Oscar Zheng – Madison Academic Magnet High School
Donations of around $5,000 were given to three area chapters of the Imagination Library. The three chapters included Madison, Gibson, and Crockett Counties. The Foundation also partnered with Jackson-Madison County Schools and adult education providers to congratulate and honor individuals who have completed their GED.
Along with presenting the scholarships to the students, the Annual Meeting also featured the approval of the 2024 Annual Meeting Minutes, the Board Chairman’s Report, the President’s Report, the Nominating Committee Report, and closing remarks. New board member Britney Ward was elected to serve a three-year term. Ward is the Vice President of Student Services at TN Colleges of Applied Technology in Jackson.
Leaders Education Foundation is comprised of volunteer staff and the Board of Directors who oversee the organizational and operational needs of the Foundation. The current Board of Directors consists of: Ron Hill, Eddie Hays, Yvette Blue, Karen Taylor, Stephanie Riley, Greg Hammond, Stan Sanders, Linda Rizzuto, and Britney Ward.
To become a member or view the 2024 Annual Report, visit leadersgives.org.
About Leaders Education Foundation
Leaders Education Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization based in Jackson, Tenn., and established in 2019. The Foundation allows community-minded citizens, members, and organizations to unite to make lives better together. It invests back into its community through scholarships, grants, and additional resources that provide educational opportunities and promote workforce development, lifelong learning, and training for students, teachers, and communities.
For more information about Leaders Education Foundation or to become a member and Give Forward, please visit their website, leadersgives.org.
