By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Paris, Tenn.–American Legion Post Post 164 of Paris presented $30,000, representing 30 $1,000 scholarships, to 30 Henry County High School Seniors today.
Post Commander Michael Williams–who is also Paris Fire Chief–told the students, “We wanted to help you with your futures and we wanted to keep the money in the community.”
A total 40 students applied for the scholarships, he said, “and we wanted it to be a diverse as possible. We awarded the scholarships to 20 females and 10 males.”
Post 164 will be disbanding soon and will be joining another local post, Williams said. “We’ve been holding it together. We used to have about 40 members and now we’re down to 16 paid members. We have a deteriorating building and we’ve been meeting in the fire department or my house. As of July, all of us are stepping down and we’re be folding the flag and attaching to another post.”
Williams was joined by Jasper Bruce, Vice Commander; Douglas Bobo, Finance Officer; Leo Horne, Adjutant; and Larry Smith, Legionnaire, at the presentation.
School Principal Michele Webb said, “This is a huge investment into these students and we thank you.”
Students receiving the scholarships are:
Bethel–Monique Gray
Union–Alyssa Simmons
Tennessee Tech–Samuel Bruce Avery Swisher
Mississippi State–Josey Petit
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga–Taylor Dunagan, Emily Nanney
University of Memphis–Jamie Underwood, Jackson McClain, Zariah Tate
University of Tennessee at Martin–Caroline Folkerts, Malia Jiang Landry, Ellen Downing, Austin Dunagan
Murray State–Addison Delaney, Regan Ashby, Victoria Grace Fletcher, Brett Box
North America Lineman Training Center–Levi Jacob Wayne
Southeast Linemn Training Center–Chasden Wade
Pepperdine–Luke Nichols
Colorado School of Mines–Noah Barnhart
University of Alabama at Birmingham–Brady Crawford
Jackson State–Bonnie Nance, Norah Bass
Belmont–Leslie Green
University of Tennessee at Knoxville–Elizabeth Abigal, Emily Hendrix
Tennessee College of Applied Technology–Diamond Williams
Middle Tennessee State–Addyson Kemp
Photo by Shannon McFarlin