JACKSON, Tenn. (April 19, 2022) – Leaders Education Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3), hosted its third annual meeting on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, and awarded $25,000 in scholarships to West Tenn. graduating high school seniors. Due to the number of deserving applicants, the Board approved raising its initial $20,000 by $5,000 to award four additional scholarships to support students’ achievements. The scholarships are of varying amounts for high school seniors attending a college or university. Leaders Education Foundation received 48 applications from across West Tenn., and the Financial Wellness Video Scholarship received ten submissions, with their videos viewed over 25,000 times and reaching over 60,000 people.
Scholarship winners include:
- $2,500 Financial Wellness Video Scholarship – Hunter Lawson - Milan High School
- $2,000 Financial Wellness Video Scholarship – Second Place - Jozie Arnold- Jackson Christian School
- $2,500 Leaders Credit Union Martha Britt Scholarship – Morgan Brasfield- Jackson Christian School
- $1,000 Scholarship in honor of Town & Country Realtors – Macy Chandler- Gibson County High School
- $1,000 Scholarship in honor of Ellis Insurance – Olivia Taylor- Sacred Heart of Jesus High School
- $1,500 Jackson-Madison County Schools Founder’s Scholarship - Joshua Giannini- South Side High School
- $1,000 Jackson- Madison County Schools Founder’s Scholarship- 2nd Place- Zacharie Garcia- JCM Early College High School
- $1,500 Community Scholarship - Gibson County – Alexander Pruett- South Gibson County High School
- $1,000 Community Scholarship - Gibson County –2nd Place- Mackenzie Johnson- Milan High School
- $1,500 Community Scholarship - Obion County – Margaret Suiter - Union City High School
- $1,500 Community Scholarship - Shelby County – Brooke Lampley - Bartlett High School
- $1,500 Community Scholarship - Dyer County – Katie Willis- Dyer County High School
- $1,500 Community Scholarship - West Tennessee – Gabrielle Jerge- University School of Jackson
- $1,000 Community Scholarship - West Tennessee –2nd Place- Anna Goldsby- Crockett County High School
- $1,000 Scholarship – Noah Brandt- HomeLife Academy
- $1,000 Scholarship – Emily Warren- Bradford High School
- $1,000 Scholarship – Erin Brookshire- Crockett County High School
- $1,000 Scholarship – Lydia Runions- Union City High School
“We want to make a positive difference in the lives of young students,” said Eddie Hays, Leaders Education Foundation Board Chair. “We hope by recognizing their achievements and providing funds in their next phase of life will help them reach their scholastic goals.”
Leaders Education Foundation also collectively donated $7,000 to participating Imagination Library Chapters in Madison, Chester, and Haywood counties through an Imagine the Possibilities campaign. This initiative involved the participating Imagination Libraries promoting awareness to the Foundation through a one-time $10 donation or membership fee in honor of a participating Imagination Library. For each new donation or membership in their honor, the Foundation pledged to donate $60 to the participating Imagination Library. Through this campaign, the donation provides one book per month to children in West Tennessee from birth to age 5.
“As the Foundation continues to grow, we will seek new opportunities to support educational initiatives that allow us to fulfill our Mission,” Leaders Education Foundation President Leigh Anne Bentley said. “Our partnership with Imagination Library fits well with our mission to Make Lives Better, Together.”
The annual meeting also covered approval of the 2020 annual meeting minutes, the Board Chairman’s report, the President’s report, the Nominating Committee report, and closing remarks. The reports highlighted the different Community Impacts made by the Foundation in 2021 and proposed Board nominees. The membership re-elected three Board members: Ms. Eddie Mae Pirtle, Ms. Karen Taylor, and Ms. Stephanie Riley for second terms. Other Board members include Eddie Hays, Ron Hill, Mary Lou Adams, and Yvette Blue.
For more information regarding Leaders Education Foundation or to view their 2021 Annual Report, please visit LeadersGives.org.
About Leaders Education Foundation
Leaders Education Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization established in 2019 and based in Jackson, Tenn. 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 its community. For more information about Leaders Education Foundation or to become a member and Give Forward, please visit their website, leadersgives.org.
