Scholarships awarded at Jefferson Alumni

Courtesy of Linda Stepp
Treasurer
Jefferson Alumni 

The Jefferson Alumni met on May 27, and $1,000 scholarships were awarded to 16 descendants of Alumni members. Since 2003, there have been 171 scholarships awarded.
  
Phil and Tom Brown funded two scholarships in memory of their late brother, David Brown, who was  a 1967 graduate and a gifted athlete. The two recipients of the David Brown Memorial Scholarships are as follows:

• Payton Stapleton is a graduate of West Union High School and also took college classes through Southern State Community College. She maintained a 3.78 GPA while playing four sports and ranked in the top 10 in her class. Payton plans to attend the University of Cincinnati to pursue a degree in nursing. She is a descendant of Virginia Grooms Stapleton, ’48, and the granddaughter of Shirley Grooms Stapleton, ’67. Shirley was a classmate of David’s.

• Kaitlyn Vogler is a graduate of West Union High School and has a 4.00 GPA and is ranked No. 1 in her class. She was in Beta, National Honor Society and the Beech Fork Youth Group. Kaitlyn plans to attend the University of Cincinnati and major in dietetics. She is a descendent of Robert McCarty, ’54, and the granddaughter of Richard (Jake) Vogler, ’71.  

Donations to the scholarship fund from Alumni members and family funded two Jefferson Alumni Scholarships as follows:

• Victoria Perna is a graduate of Hicksville High School and took college classes. She has a 3.98 GPA and is ranked in the top 10 of her class. She played both basketball and golf for four years and is a National Honor Society member. She plans to attend Purdue Fort Wayne University to study Communication Sciences & Disorders to prepare for graduate school in Speech Language Pathology. Victoria is a descendant of Jack Harris, ’45, Willodean Hafer Harris, ‘46, and the granddaughter of Jacqulyn Harris Davis and Michael Davis, ’71.  

• Brooklyn Hamilton is a graduate of the Adams County Christian School where she maintained a 3.86 GPA while participating in choir, speech and drama. Brooklyn plans to attend Southern State Community College and is looking at health related fields or vet tech.  She is a descendant of Mildred June Newman Hazelbaker, ’43, Carl Hazelbaker, ’44, and James V. Hazelbaker, ’67. Thanks to her grandfather, Jim, who served as an Alumni officer, many records and photos were preserved.    

Ron Lykins initiated two scholarships and requested one be given to a male and one to a female. The Ron & Ruth Lykins Scholarship recipients for 2023 are: 

• Talia Arey is a graduate of Peebles High School and also will receive her associate degree from Southern State Community College this summer. She has maintained a 3.36 GPA while being in track, volleyball, golf and also cheering. Talia plans to attend the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. She is a descendant of Martha Jane Kratzer Swearingen, ’43, and the granddaughter of Sandra Swearingen Douglas, ’71.  

• Brock Hamilton is a graduate of Satellite Senior High School in Satellite Beach, Fla., where course work included many honors classes and 10 Advanced Placement courses. He maintained a 3.75 unweighted GPA and a 4.24 weighted GPA. Brock plans to attend the University of North Florida in the Hicks Honors College and his planned major is criminal justice with a long-term goal of being a forensic psychologist with the FBI. Brock is a descendant of Corrine Preston Hamilton, ’39, and the grandson of Maurice Hamilton, ’62. 

The nine Don & Flo Armstrong Memorial Scholarships funded by Ron Lykins and members of the Armstrong family are: 

• Makenna Armstrong is a graduate of West Union High School where she earned a 4.00 GPA and ranked No. 1 in her class. She is a Beta Club member, National Honor Society and active in performing arts and music. Makenna will attend Brigham Young University and major in psychology with a long term goal of becoming a counseling psychologist. She is a descendant of Don Armstrong, ’28, Flo Caraway Armstrong, ’33, and granddaughter of Darrel Armstrong, ’66. 

• Remington Beckham is a graduate of Peebles High School and also took college classes at Southern State Community College. He maintained a 3.70 GPA and was ranked in the top 10 of his class.  He was in FFA, Beta and National Honor Society. He plans to get his Associates at Southern State Community College and then get into trade school for aircraft mechanic. Remington is the great-grandson of William Ogden, ’39.

• Annie Deyo is a graduate of Fairfield Union High School where she maintained a 3.90 GPA and was ranked in the top 10 in her class. She was in National Honor Society and active in FFA. Annie plans to attend The Ohio State University and major in Ag Science to become a teacher. She is a great-granddaughter of Thomas Hazelbaker, ’32.

• Emma Griffin is a graduate of West Union High School and has also taken college courses from Southern State Community College. She was in Beta, National Honor Society, and cheering. She has maintained a 3.89 GPA and is ranked in the top 10 in her class. She plans to attend the University of Cincinnati-Clermont Campus to become a Physical Therapy Assistant. Emma is the great-great-granddaughter of Edna Violet Chamblin Wilson, ’36.

• Clarinda “Jax” Stapleton is a graduate of West Union High School and has attended the Ohio Valley Career & Technical Center in the Information Systems Technology program. She has also taken college courses from Chatfield College. She has a 3.38 GPA. She will attend Shawnee State University majoring in Fine & Digital Simulation Arts with a minor sound design. Clarinda is a descendant of Virginia Grooms Stapleton, ’48, and her namesake grandmother Clarinda “Cindy” Harris Kuehner, ’50.

• Skylar Stapleton is a graduate of North Adams High School where he has a 4.00 GPA and is ranked No. 1 in his class. He was in band and choir and on the Academic Team and Mock Trial Team as well as being in Beta and the National Honor Society. He will attend Miami University and major in Arts Management & Entrepreneurship and has been awarded Miami University’s Governor’s Scholarship. He is the great-grandson of Virginia Grooms Stapleton, ’48.

• Olivia Stephens is a graduate of Western Brown High School and has also taken college classes at Southern State Community College. She has a 4.00 GPA and is ranked No. 1 in her class. She plans to attend Northern Kentucky University to pursue a career in nursing.  Olivia is the granddaughter of Kenneth Grooms, ’71.
 
• Ethan Thompson is a graduate of West Union High School where he was active in performing arts and also in Beta and the National Honor Society. He has a 3.67 GPA. He plans to attend Wilmington College and major in English as he loves language and this is reflected in his perfect ACT score in reading. He is a descendant of George Lewis, ’45 and grandson of Diane Newman Osman, ’69.

• Audrey Weakley is a graduate of West Union High School and will also earn an Associates from Southern State Community College. She was in Beta and FFA and has volunteered at the Jefferson Elimination Dinner and Jefferson Carnival. Audrey will attend Shawnee State University and major in middle school education. Audrey is the great-granddaughter of Kathryn Shiveley Evans, ’55.

The 2023 recipient of the Dr. James P. & Suzanne Branham Scholarship funded by Ron Lykins in memory of Coach Branham and in honor of Susie May Branham is:

• Colin May is a graduate of West Union High School and wrote a candid narrative explaining how the pandemic impacted his high school years. He worked on the school newspaper and was on the yearbook staff. Colin has been accepted at Wright State University where he plans to major in Motion Production to pursue his interest in film. He is a descendant of Jessie McHenry May, ’33, Orvy D. May, ’34 and grandson of David May, ’65.  

The Jefferson Alumni is a 501©3 non-profit. If you would like to donate to the Jefferson Scholarship Program, send checks to Linda Stepp, treasurer, at 13370 S.R. 136, Winchester, Ohio 45697. The Jefferson Alumni set May 25, 2024 for the Alumni next year.