This time of year means two things for local high school seniors: graduation ceremonies, scholarships, and awards from Lake Oconee Elks Lodge No. 2849.
Each year, Elks Lodge 2849 awards six $1,000 Most Valuable Student (MVS) scholarships to seniors from local communities. There are also awards for High School Student of the Year, the Jerry & June Smith Scholarship, and a $1,000 stipend to the Chase Montgomery Memorial Scholarship winner.
Over the past several weeks, members of the Lodge’s Scholarship Committee and the Montgomery family attended local high school honors events to formally recognize graduating students who demonstrated high academic abilities and significant community involvement.
These students were judged not only on their four years of high school academic achievements but also on criteria such as leadership qualities, involvement in extracurricular activities, honors, awards, and employment activities.
“Our Lodge is honored to have the opportunity to recognize a select group of local high school seniors that represent the best of our community,” Lake Oconee Elks Scholarship Committee Chairman Frank Rowan stated.
Recipients of the Elks’ Most Valuable Student scholarships included Lake Oconee Academy students Gabriella Blythe, Sydney Pattison (valedictorian), and Ridhadhi Sukha (salutatorian). Additional MVS scholarship recipients were Valedictorian Heath Brake from John Hancock Academy, Saige Nobis from The Gatewood School, and Salutatorian Emily Abarca Sanchez from Nathanael Greene Academy.
The winner of the Lake Oconee Elks Lodge Student of the Year Scholarship was Taylor Moreno from The Gatewood School. At the same time, the Jerry & June Smith scholarship went to Nathanael Greene Academy Valedictorian Marisa Williams.
The Chase Montgomery Memorial Scholarship winner was Valedictorian Carly Cannon at The Gatewood School, and Saige Nobis, salutatorian of the Gatewood Class of 2024.
Seven of the Lake Oconee Elk scholars were recognized as either valedictorians or salutatorians of their graduating classes.
The Lodge received a record number of scholarship applications in 2024 and is already looking forward to 2025, when it will continue the tradition of recognizing the best and brightest of local high school seniors.