PENNEY FARMS – The evening of March 8, at Penney Retirement Community and Barrows Hall was a buzz with the voices of young people who had been provided scholarships to begin their college education.

The scholarships are made possible through Penney Memorial Church, at Penney Retirement Community.

Unfortunately, more students request help then can be provided by the church. So the church must be very selective in awarding the scholarships. Each student receives $400 tuition a semester, for the four years they are in college, equaling $3200 in scholarship monies.

Currently 14 students are receiving scholarship funds from Penney Memorial Church. Each student presented a brief PowerPoint video about themselves and their current plans. Most of these students plan to further their education with additional degrees. They are an amazing group of young people with high demands for themselves and what they hope to achieve.

Along with the 14 young people are three young ladies who are receiving nursing scholarships while working at PRC’s nursing facilities. These ladies are, Jolyn Valle, Crystal Santiago, and Marlies Siemer. PMC is happy to help these women obtain their nursing diplomas.

Two former PMC Scholarship Recipients were in attendance for this program. Dale Washington, class of 1969 graduated from Clay High, and Henrietta Francis was a graduate of Dunbar High in Green Cove Springs class of 1966. These two women went on to serve their community and had successful careers.

Among the students who are attending University of Florida are Taylor Eason, Nursing; Charlotte Tennant, Accounting, audit and tax; Neissa Alabre, Pharmacy; Savannah Olsson, Health Science/pre-med. The student going to the University of Central Florida, Orlando is Jacob Ramos, majoring in Political Science, with an aim to work in local politics. The student attending Florida A&M was Bria Miller, who will be studying Health Science/Physical Therapy. She has a long list of degrees to earn, so she will be working a long time.

Several students are attending Florida State University, Tallahassee. Kelly McKenzie is working on her degree in Choral Music/Education. Another student from the same school is Erykah Murray, majoring in Family & Child Science. Emma Kiely, from the same school, is studying International Affairs. Ginny Stephens is majoring in Digital & Media Design at Southeastern University. Jason Chen is a student at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, and is studying Bio-engineering/Med School. Ally Dailey is studying Child Psychology/Photography, at St. John’s River State College. Joy Bowerman is a student at University of North Florida, Jacksonville and majoring in Child Psychology.

Lastly, Farah Sheheen is a student at University of South Florida, Tampa, and studying Biomedical Science/Psychology.

Susan Hall is a guidance counselor at Clay High was at the program. Each student was assigned a small group to meet with PRC residents. The residents could ask the students any question concerning their future and their educational goals. This was done in about a 15-minute period, after which the meeting ended.

The students were invited to go across the street to the Commons Snack Shop for ice cream treats, where they could leisurely converse with PRC residents.

This was a very enlightening and educational meeting, in which new and old residents alike could learn more about Penney Memorial Church scholarship fund and how it works. Penney Memorial Church is happy to provide scholarships for these deserving young people.