SALISBURY — Crosby Scholars Rowan recognized the class of 2022 with a Senior Celebration on Easy Street in downtown Salisbury on May 15. This year, the program graduated 152 seniors from seven high schools, raising the total number of Crosby Scholars graduates to over 1,250 since 2016.

Overall, the Crosby Scholars in the class of 2022 logged more than 10,000 hours of volunteer service to the community since 2015. Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is consistently the top choice for Crosby seniors. Rounding out the top five this year are NC State, UNC Charlotte, UNC Chapel Hill, and Appalachian. There are 26 scholarship recipients, with combined awards totaling $46,500, were recognized during the event.

This year, 39 students achieved the honor of being named a “Gwin Barr All-Star” student. The award is named after Barr, one of the founding Board members responsible for bringing the Crosby Scholars program to Rowan County in 2013, who served as the Board chair for the first nine years of the program. Executive Director, Jessica Vess commented, “We are so grateful that she chooses to pour her time and energy into bringing hope to the youth of Rowan County. Gwin’s passion and commitment exemplify the characteristics of what All-Star students exhibit.” Seniors who earn this status joined Crosby Scholars in their 6th grade year and successfully completed all of the requirements each year through the 12th grade.

A Carson senior shared, “I am so appreciative of the opportunities and the support that Crosby Scholars has provided for me throughout high school. Everyone involved is fully committed to making sure that any student who wants to go to college has all of the possibilities open to them. For every step of my college journey, Crosby Scholars has been there to help me, and for that, I am so thankful.”

All alumni of the Crosby Scholars program are eligible to apply for Last Dollar Grant funding toward unmet financial need for up to four years of study. Rowan County Crosby Scholars is a free program for public middle and high school students. For more information, visit crosbyscholarsrowan.org.

The 2022 Crosby Scholars scholarship recipients are:

Crosby Scholars Impact Scholarship ($1,000 renewable up to four years):

Luke Heglar (ERHS), Addisyn Keen (JCHS), Alondra Acevedo-Roque (SHS), Daisy Sisoukrath (SRHS), Regan Roakes (WRHS), Hannah Freeman (NRHS), Heavenlee Deneen (RCEC)

John A. Carter Memorial Scholarship ($1,000 non-renewable):
Emily Almond (JCHS)

John O. Reynolds Memorial Scholarship ($1,000 non-renewable):
Alison Ketchie (ERHS)

Paul Fisher Scholarship ($1,000 non-renewable):
Grace Blackwell (SHS)

Sue P. Fisher Community Service Scholarship ($1,000 non-renewable):
Lauren Haynes (SRHS)

Goodwill Willpower Scholarship ($1,000 non-renewable):
Sarah Rhodes (JCHS)

Art Gibel Scholarship ($1,000 non-renewable):
Taylor Darby (SRHS)

Joyce Kohfeldt Determination Award ($1,000 non-renewable):
Chloe Kelley (SRHS), Margaret Thurman (SHS)

J. Michael McDuffie Memorial Scholarship ($1000 non-renewable):
Yarithza Perez Aguirre (ERHS), Brooklyn Biddy (JCHS), Aniyah Ingram (NRHS), Alaina Lopez (SHS), Veridiana
Gutierrez Marin (SRHS), Alyssa Alley (WRHS)

Mona Lovett Scholarship ($1,000 non-renewable):
Annel Ochoa (WRHS)

Antonio and Victoria Munoz Scholarship ($500 non-renewable):
Damian Grooms (ERHS), Veridiana Gutierrez Marin (SRHS), Yarithza Perez Aguirre (ERHS)

Bob Casmus Medical/Healthcare Scholarship ($500 non-renewable):

Alaina Lopez (SHS)

David Post Public Service Scholarship ($500 non-renewable):
Riley Dillon (SHS), Savannah Hart (JCHS)

“For Life” Scholarship ($500 non-renewable):
Blake Oliphant (WRHS)

American Legion Auxiliary delivers annual Easter party

The American Legion Harold B. Jarrett Post 342 Auxiliary recently celebrated its annual Easter party for exceptional children in Rowan-Salisbury Schools.

The program was remote again this year and auxiliary members brought prepared bags and plastic eggs filled with treats directly to the schools.

The longstanding tradition was cancelled in 2020 and the party was delivered the same way in 2021. In 2021 the auxiliary began adding sensory toys of the types recommended by teachers to the deliveries.