Eleven top students awarded life-changing scholarships by Heritage Classic Foundation.
On the third Sunday in April, if a PGA tour rookie is walking down the 18th fairway at Harbour Town with a sizable lead on the field, the broadcasters from the TV tower will talk about how winning the RBC Heritage, with its millions in prize money and other benefits, “is a life changing event.”
What most fans in the stands and those watching the broadcast don’t know is that a similar collection of life changing events occurred Monday as eleven local high school seniors were awarded tens of thousands of dollars in college scholarships from the Heritage Classic Foundation at its annual event.
The foundation was created in 1987 and has raised and distributed more than $52 million for local charities, including the scholarship program. Next fall, a total of 43 Beaufort and Jasper County collegians will be attending school having received foundation grants totaling $200,000. A grand total of $5.4M will have been awarded to 386 students after the 2024 distribution. Other areas of giving from 2023’s grants include arts and culture ($615,000) and 30 local children’s charities ($693,000).
One of the 2024 scholarship recipients, senior Lamika Walker, made history this year as the first Jasper County student to be selected for an award. Walker attends Ridgeland Secondary Academy of Excellence and, in addition to completing a law enforcement program that put her on a path to pursue a career in forensic psychology, she has been the student class president since her sophomore year.
Another standout scholar is Hilton Head Island High School’s Anthony Bynum, who saw a need to improve the diversity of students in advanced classes so he began tutoring elementary students in math and reading. His goal was to improve their chances of qualifying for advanced classes when those students reached middle school. Bynum credits the scholarship award with giving him a sense of freedom from some of the financial demands a college education can create. This, he said, “is an opportunity for education. It means that I can pursue my dreams without financial challenges holding me back.”
Bynum credits his determination in making a difference so far in his young life, “a lot of the things I’ve accomplished require initiative and dedication, and without my purpose to succeed, I would not be here today.”
Heritage Classic Foundation Scholar Committee Chairman, Scott Richardson focused his remarks at Monday’s event not only on the academic and athletic accomplishments of the students but in the intangible qualities that set many of them apart, “You are leaders in your schools, communities and churches. Your interests vary from volunteerism to sports to caring for the environment.”
In addition to Walker and Bynum, new 2024 award recipients include:
- Zoe Way, Battery Creek High School
- Aiden Harvey, Bluffton High School
- Noah Henry, Annabelle Nelson, Nathan Tran, James Guerin Willis: Beaufort High School
- Jhasly Berra, Susana Mogil, Evelyn Prokes: Hilton Head Island High School