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The Suffolk Education Foundation recently awarded 13 scholarships for the class of 2023 totaling more than $21,250.

The foundation said in a news release that most of these are endowed memorial scholarships. Since 1993, SEF has awarded about a half-million dollars in scholarships to Suffolk students.

Future Educator Scholarship. The foundation awards a $3,000 scholarship to one graduating senior city-wide who plans a career as an educator each year.

The city-wide recipient is Emma Rotzler from Lakeland High School. She will attend North Carolina State University to prepare for a career as an agriculture education teacher.

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, while Jean Cross taught in the Suffolk Public School system. One scholarship is awarded to each high school.

The Lakeland High School recipient is Hailey Raines, who will attend James Madison University to study engineering.

The Nansemond River High School recipient is Emma Harsch, who will attend Christopher Newport University to create a career blending medicine and business.

The King’s Fork High School recipient is Isaac Dailey, who will attend James Madison University to study engineering.

Milton R. Liverman Memorial Scholarship. Shirley Liverman established this $1,500 scholarship to honor her husband, who 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 Noelle Ingram from King’s Fork High School, who will attend Stanford University to prepare for a career in law. The foundation also recognized Ingram for her service as the first student representative on its board of directors, where she served both her junior and senior years.

E. Talmadge Darden Memorial Scholarship. Chosen family and friends of Darden, 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 Peyton Wise from Lakeland High School, who will attend Longwood University with a goal of teaching elementary school.

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 Mason Windley from Nansemond River High School, who will attend Berklee College of Music to study film scoring and composition.

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 Ned Ferguson was a local attorney.

The Lakeland High School recipient is Justin Henderson, who will attend Old Dominion University to study Computer Science.

The Nansemond River High School recipient is Zachary Ilich, who will attend Virginia Tech to study computer engineering.

The King’s Fork High School recipient is Sydney Barnes, who will attend Georgetown University to study government, international relations and law.

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.

One of this year’s two city-wide recipients is Samuel Brannen, who played basketball at King’s Fork High School. He plans to keep playing at Randolph-Macon College as he studies kinesiology.

The second city-wide recipient is Austin Adkins, who played baseball at Nansemond River High School. He plans to keep playing at Virginia Wesleyan University as he studies civil engineering.

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 is Madison Bullock, who played softball and volleyball at Lakeland. She will attend Randolph-Macon College to study nursing.

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

Anyone interested in how to establish a memorial scholarship with an endowment, can email or call SEF administrator, Bethanne Bradshaw, at the Suffolk Education Foundation at suffolkef.contact@gmail.com or 757-237-3249.

If someone is interested in making a difference in the lives of Suffolk Public School students, make a contribution to the foundation online at suffolkeducationfoundation.org or by mailing your tax-deductible donation to P.O. Box 394, Suffolk VA 23439-0394. Donations are accepted in honor or memory of individuals or in direct support of other initiatives like the Teacher Supply Store, classroom grants, and of course, scholarships.

The non-profit foundation’s mission is to support Suffolk Public Schools by connecting the community’s talents and resources to expand educational opportunities for students and staff. By supporting SPS, it ensures that the Suffolk community will have talented leaders and citizens long into the future.