The Suffolk Education Foundation is pleased to announce the 11 outstanding recipients of its 2025 college scholarships. The Class of 2025 city-wide will receive $21,250 from the Suffolk Education Foundation – most of them are endowed memorial scholarships. Since 1993, SEF has awarded about a half-million dollars in scholarships to Suffolk students.

 

FUTURE EDUCATOR SCHOLARSHIP – The Suffolk Education Foundation awards a $3,000 scholarship to one graduating senior city-wide who plans a career as an educator.

• The city-wide recipient is CAMERON WORRELL from Lakeland High School. She will be attending Liberty University with a goal of teaching English as a Second Language.

 

E. TALMADGE DARDEN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP - Chosen family and friends of Talmadge, who passed away from cancer in 2011, established this $1,500 scholarship in his memory. He was the first principal of King’s Fork Middle School, and this scholarship is given to help students who attended King’s Fork Middle School and plan to major in music, culinary arts, or education.

• This year’s city-wide recipient is also CAMERON WORRELL from Lakeland High School, who will attend Liberty University with a goal of teaching English as a Second Language.

 

HARRY & JEAN RITCHIE CROSS FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP - The Cross family established this $1,750 scholarship to honor their parents, Harry Lee and Jean Ritchie. Mr. Cross was chairman of the Suffolk School Board and was a successful realtor; Jean Cross taught in the Suffolk Public School system. One scholarship is awarded to each high school.

• The Nansemond River High School recipient, MAKAILA MILLER, will attend Hampton University to study Pre-Med.

• The Lakeland High School recipient is HANNAH JOYNER. She will attend Liberty University to study Nursing.

• The King’s Fork High School recipient is DESMOND RAWLS, who will attend Longwood University to study Elementary Education. The Foundation would also like to recognize DESMOND for his service as the 2024-25 student representative on our board of directors.

 

MILTON R. LIVERMAN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP – Mrs. Shirley Liverman established this $1,500 scholarship to honor her husband. Dr. Liverman served Suffolk Public Schools for 36 years including 10 years as its Superintendent. Dr. Liverman was committed to helping young people make a difference in their community and achieve their potential.

• This year’s city-wide recipient is TYLER KNIGHT of Nansemond River High School. He will study Engineering at the University of North Carolina-Charolotte.

 

GERTRUDE B. PRUDEN FAMILY ARTS SCHOLARSHIP - The Pruden family established this $1,500 scholarship in memory of this local teacher who loved music, art, and drama.

• This year’s city-wide recipient is JULIA APGAR from King’s Fork High School, who will attend James Madison University to study Theater.

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G. BLAIR HARRY MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP - The Harry family established this $1,500 scholarship to honor their father, who was a well- known Suffolk lawyer and judge who passed away in 2005. This scholarship is earmarked for college-bound student athletes:

• NOAH JACHE – active at Lakeland High in Volleyball, Swim, & Soccer – will attend Virginia Tech to study Chemistry.

• COR’JE REVELL – active at Lakeland High in Cheerleading – will attend Virginia Commonwealth University to study Forensic Chemistry.

 

HELEN AND NED FERGUSON ENDOWMENT SCHOLARSHIP - The Ferguson family established this $1,500 scholarship to honor their parents, Ned and Helen. Both were extremely active in the Suffolk community and Mr. Ferguson was a local attorney.

• The King’s Fork High School recipient is TAKIYA BAILEY, who will attend Norfolk State University to study Nursing.

• The Nansemond River High School recipient, GRACE GILLGREN, will attend Virginia Tech to study Civil Engineering.

• The Lakeland High School recipient is KAEMON POWELL, who will attend Old Dominion University to study Computer Science.

 

ELLIS E. TEMPLE, SR. MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP - The Temple family established this scholarship in 2009 to help a college-bound student athlete and school leader at Lakeland High School. This $1,000 scholarship was first awarded in 2013. Ellis Temple was president of the city-wide Suffolk PTA Council.

• This year’s recipient, HANNAH JOYNER, was active at Lakeland in field hockey, track, and softball. She will attend Liberty University to study Nursing.

 

Awards are made following an application process and reviewed by a committee appointed by the SuffolkEducation Foundation’s board of directors. Selection criteria include academic achievement, community/schoolservice, and future education and career goals.

 

If you want to learn more about establishing a memorial scholarship with an endowment, please email or callour administrator, Bethanne Bradshaw, at the Suffolk Education Foundation at suffolkef.contact@gmail.com or(757) 237-3249.

 

If you are interested in making a difference in the lives of Suffolk Public School students, you can make acontribution to the Suffolk Education Foundation online at suffolkeducationfoundation.org or by mailing yourtax-deductible donation to P.O. Box 394, Suffolk VA 23439-0394.

 

Donations are accepted in honor ormemory of individuals or in direct support of other initiatives like the Teacher Supply Store, classroom grants,and of course, scholarships.

 

The Suffolk Education Foundation (SEF) was founded in 1993 and received its IRS 501(c)(3) status in thesame year. The mission of the Suffolk Education Foundation is to support Suffolk Public Schools by connecting thecommunity’s talents and resources to expand educational opportunities for students and staff. By supportingSuffolk Public Schools, the Foundation is ensuring that the Suffolk community will have talented leaders andcitizens long into the future.