Vidalia Kiwanis Club Awards Scholarships to Local Seniors

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**Editor’s Note: The family of the William A. (Jinky) Hooker, who present the scholarship in his memory, was previously listed incorrectly within this article. We extend our sincerest apologies to these individuals.

Each year, the Vidalia Kiwanis Club invests in the future by providing several scholarships – ultimately totaling $7,500 – to local high school seniors to help fund their education after high school.

Students from schools residing in Toombs and Montgomery Counties are eligible for the scholarship; home school graduates may even apply for one of the scholarships, which are named in honor of past community leaders. This year, the winners came from a variety of schools, representing the widespread success of the Class of 2024.

Toombs County High School Graduate R.J. Florez was awarded the Stephen A. Brown Scholarship ($1,000), which was established by Brown’s friend to honor the memory of the 1999 Vidalia Citizen of the Year and former President of the Vidalia Kiwanis Club. Florez will use the funds to help with the costs of attending the University of Georgia in the fall.

Vidalia High School Graduate Deserae Lumley was presented the William A. (Jinky) Hooker Scholarship ($1,000), which is given by Hooker’s mother and stepfather in honor of their son, William A. (Jinky) Hooker III, who lost his life in a tragic accident in 1987, while in the 6th Grade at J.R. Trippe Middle School. The scholarship is given to a student who will be attending Brewton-Parker College, where Lumley will pursue a degree in Christian Studies.

Antonio Aguilar has been named the recipient of the Tom P. Hutcheson Scholarship ($1,000), which is given in honor of Hutcheson, who served as both a Kiwanian and the Vidalia City Schools Superintendent for 19 years. Aguilar is a graduate of Vidalia High School and will be attending the University of Georgia in the fall.

Emma Beck, graduate of Vidalia High School and granddaughter of Kiwanian Bill Torrance, was awarded the Kiwanis Club Family Scholarship ($500), which is given to a child or grandchild of active or longtime members of the Vidalia Kiwanis Club. Beck will use the scholarship to fund her education at the University of Georgia, where she plans to pursue a degree in Communications.

Vidalia High School Graduate Dottie McDaniel was presented with the R.E. Ledford Scholarship ($1,000), which is given in honor of the Club’s former president Roscoe E. Ledford. McDaniel plans to use the funds to help pursue a degree in communications from the University of Georgia. Though normally awarded to two students – a senior from Vidalia High School and one from another area school – this year’s Cliff A. Poe Scholarship ($500) has only be given to Toombs County High School Graduate Gabriel Davis. This scholarship was originally named the Kiwanis Club Scholarship, but was later changed to honor one of the club’s longest living charter members, and is given to students who plan to attend Southeastern Technical College. Davis plans to begin the college in the fall, where he will pursue an Associate of Science in Nursing degree.

Bralie Carey was named the recipient of the Dr. Larry Smith Scholarship ($1,000), which honors the memory of the past Kiwanian by helping to fund the education of a student attending Smith’s alma mater, the University of Georgia. Carey, a graduate of Vidalia High School, will move to Athens in the fall to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry before going on to medical school.

Fellow Vidalia High School Graduate Jasie Cleghorn was awarded the J.R. Trippe Scholarship ($1,000), which was established in 1981 by a committee seeking to honor the memory of the former Vidalia City Schools superintendent. Cleghorn will use the funds to help her pursue a college degree from the University of Georgia.

Alexis Head was presented the Dorothy L. Warthen Scholarship ($500), which was created by the Warthen family to honor the former Vidalia City Schools teacher. Head is a Vidalia High School graduate and will be attending Georgia College and State University, where she plans to major in exercise science.

“The Vidalia Kiwanis Club is proud of these students and of the people for whom the scholarships were established. Our best wishes go out to the Class of 2024,” Club President Greg McKenzie Jr. shared. “If you would be interested in donating to any of these scholarships, you can specify the scholarship or make a general scholarship donation by contacting the Kiwanis Club of Vidalia at PO Box 1183, Vidalia, GA 30475-1183.”