RSHS Academic Banquet set for May 21
Staff report
ROCKINGHAM — Nine seniors at Richmond Senior High School are in the running for the inaugural awarding of The Pee Dee Post Community Scholarship.
The original application deadline was just before the start of Spring Break but was extended a little more than a week, at the request of Karen McLean, secretary for the school’s Career Information Center. The extra time allowed students extra time to finish the required essay and gather letters of recommendation from teachers and other mentors.
The scholarship will be awarded to a graduating senior at Richmond Senior High School on May 21 at the schools annual Academic Awards Banquet. The banquet begins at 7 p.m.
There were no GPA or income requirements, though the former data was requested. Students were told up front that preference could be given to students who show a pattern of active engagement within their community through the arts or sports, and who plan to continue those activities beyond high school. This can be demonstrated through participation with high school organizations, off-campus groups or both.
The nine scholarship candidates include five males and four females. The activities in which the students are involved include, but not limited to: JROTC, band, color guard, Caused United Raiders Everywhere (CURE), Beta Club, International Drug-Free Youth (IDFY), cheerleading, softball and football to to volunteering in church, Relay for Life and hospice. The weighted grade point averages ranged between 3.65 and 4.56 with a group average of 4.18.
The scholarship will be a minimum of $500 and may be renewable for up to three years pending successful completion of a competitive application process each year. Specifically, the scholarship is designed to assist a graduating senior with the financial expenses related to pursuing higher education at a two-year or four-year college or vocational school, or for one who chooses to enter the military immediately upon graduation. All nine applicants indicated they plan to enter four-year schools in the fall of 2015.
The application required at least two letters of recommendation, high school transcripts and an essay.
“Choosing the scholarship awardee won’t be an easy task,” said Kevin Spradlin, managing editor for PeeDeePost.com. “I was sort of hoping that one candidate would stand out among the rest at an immediate glance, but if these nine students represent the best of what Richmond Senior High School has to offer, then it’s a darned good ‘best.’ The quality of applicants is truly impressive.”
The new scholarship is one of many ways in which The Pee Dee Post and PeeDeePost.com supports the Richmond County community. The daily digital newspaper is a corporate sponsor of the Richmond Raiders Marching Band, a benefactor to the Richmond Community Theatre, and supports many other local efforts.
“Beginning in the 2015-16 school year, the scholarship will be funded through a run-paddle-run event planned in Rockingham along Hitchcock Creek next winter,” Spradlin said. “Based on that event’s success, I anticipate opening up additional scholarship slots to even more Raider seniors and homeschooled students as well.”
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