Special to Iredell Free News

The Rotary Club of Greater Statesville awarded six $1,000 scholarships to outstanding students from the Career Academy and Technical School in Troutman at the 2022 Awards Program on Wednesday, May 25 at the CATS Conference Center.

The scholarships will provide financial assistance for students pursuing technical, vocational, trade, manufacturing and health-related fields while developing specific job skills needed in Iredell County to address the employment shortages in these critical areas.

The scholarship recipients (and the institutions they will attend) are:

♦ Emma Parker (Mitchell Community College);
♦ Brylee Gibson (High Point University);
♦ Zachry Dellinger (Mitchell Community College);
♦ Dillion Hobbs (Ferrum College);
♦ Anna Kopecky (University of North Carolina-Wilmington); and
♦ Parker Rufty (University of North Carolina-Charlotte).

The recipients of these awards have outstanding credentials including past school and job success, academic ability, and community service.

According to Mike Tucker, Rotary Club of Greater Statesville’s CATS Committee chairman and a retired community college educator, “John Dewey, a famous educator once said, ‘Education should be preparation for living.’ “Isn’t it time that we start preparing area students to earn a living by training them for specific jobs that are now widely available and desirable?”

CATS Scholarship Committee Rotary members assisting in the selection process were Michael Tucker, past club president; Todd Harkins, past club president; Lee Greer, past club president and foundation chair; Karen Bumgarner, membership chair; and Heather Oland, club secretary. Sherry Harris is the Club President.