The Suffolk Education Foundation recently announced the recipients of its 2015 college scholarships.

This year, the foundation awarded $16,000 to 11 local high school graduates. Since 1993, the foundation has committed more than $325,000 in college scholarships for local high school students.

The three recipients of the annual Jean and Harry L. Cross Jr. Endowment Scholarship are Trinity Torres of Nansemond River High School, Leanna Harville of Lakeland High School, and Alicia Jiggetts of King’s Fork High School.

Torres plans to study international business at the College of William and Mary. Harville will study environmental science at Ferrum College. Jiggetts will attend the University of Richmond and focus on criminal justice and pre-law.

The Cross family established the $1,500 scholarship to honor their father, a Suffolk real estate agent who served on the School Board.

The three recipients of the annual Helen and Ned Ferguson Endowment Scholarship are Kristina Super of Nansemond River High School, Juliana Durand of Lakeland High School, and Morgan Hunt of King’s Fork High School.

Super will study environmental science at Virginia Tech. Durand plans to attend Lincoln Memorial University to study veterinary technology. Hunt will be attending the University of Virginia to study biomedical engineering.

The Ferguson family established this $1,500 scholarship to honor their father, a local lawyer and community leader.

Alexis Hernandez of Nansemond River High School received the Suffolk Education Foundation’s Future Educators Scholarships. This $1,500 scholarship is designed to assist students interested in careers in education. Hernandez will attend Old Dominion University with plans to become a teacher.

Additionally, the foundation administers endowed scholarships for the families of Gertrude B. Pruden, the Hon. G. Blair Harry, and Ellis E. Temple Jr.

Amy Rice of Nansemond River High School received the $1,500 Gertrude B. Pruden Family Arts Scholarship. She will be attending Virginia Tech to study English and theater arts.

The Pruden family established this scholarship in memory of this local teacher who loved music, art and drama.

Rachel Gist of King’s Fork High School and Austin Heyman of Nansemond River High School received the G. Blair Harry Memorial Scholarship Awards.

Gist will attend Randolph-Macon College to study biology and play field hockey. Heyman is headed to Christopher Newport University to study biology or computer science and play soccer and run cross-country.

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. It is earmarked for college-bound student-athletes.

Jeremy Hill of Lakeland High School received the Ellis E. Temple Sr. Memorial Scholarship. He will attend the University of Dayton to study computer engineering.

The Temple family established the Ellis E. Temple Sr. Memorial Scholarship in 2009 to help a college-bound student-athlete and school leader at Lakeland High School. The first $1,000 was awarded in 2013. Ellis Temple was a well-known parent advocate and president of the city-wide Suffolk PTA Council.

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

Anyone interested in contributing to the scholarship funds of the Suffolk Education Foundation can send their tax-deductible donation to P.O. Box 394, Suffolk, VA 23439-0394. Note to which fund your contribution should be credited. General donations are also accepted for the foundation’s other programs.

For more information, contact president Jennifer Schmack at jschmack@suffolkva.us or board member Bethanne Bradshaw at 925-6752 or bethannebradshaw@spsk12.net.