Todd County Central High School graduating seniors have an upcoming scholarship opportunity honoring the legacy of an Elkton native.
The Jackie Louise Memorial Scholarship is in honor of the late Jackie Osborne Rice of Elkton, a lifelong advocate for education and a member of the TCCHS Class of 1973. Before she passed in 2014, Rice helped her granddaughter Chawntia Johnson create a non-profit organization, Healthy and Holistic, while Johnson was in nursing school at Austin Peay State University.
Based out of Clarksville, Healthy and Holistic first started out with health fairs. Johnson says she wanted to make sure her community understood the importance of their health and was educated on different health opportunities.
After Rice passed away, Johnson decided to expand the nonprofit to include a scholarship fund for Clarksville students.
This year, for year ten of the scholarship, Healthy and Holistic is celebrating Rice’s legacy by giving ten $1,000 scholarships – and by opening the opportunity up to TCCHS seniors.
Scholarship requirements include a GPA of 2.8 or above, a letter of recommendation from a faculty member and a few essay questions. Johnson encourages students to really elaborate on their personal background and what makes them stand out, and not to be afraid to brag on their accomplishments.
One prompt is to write about challenges the student had to overcome in high school, which goes along with one of Healthy and Holistic’s six pillars, mental health.
Johnson says she is so thankful to the organization’s board and Rice’s family for their constant support and motivation.
click to download audioScholarship recipients will be recognized at a banquet Saturday, April 11 in Clarksville’s William O. Beach Civic Hall. Scholarship applications are now open and due Sunday, March. 15. For scholarship questions or more information, contact jackiememorialscholarship@gmail.com.
Apply HERE.
