ROANE COUNTY, TN.  –  The Roane County Chamber of Commerce and Roane County Schools has recognized 100 graduating seniors as Tennessee Scholars. Award ceremonies were held at each of the five Roane County high schools between May 5-13, 2021.

The past two years have been challenging for our schools and students because of pandemic restrictions, social distancing, and the closing of most volunteer activities from March 2020 through May 2021. Rising to the challenge, the 100 Tennessee Scholars represent 24.4% of the Roane County Graduating Class of 2021.

Tennessee Scholars is a four-year high school program.  In 2021, the program requires students to complete a rigorous course of study, maintain an overall “C” average, have 95% or higher attendance, pass all end-of-course tests, have no out-of-school suspensions, and complete a minimum of sixty hours of community service.

“This is a real accomplishment for these one-hundred seniors,” said Allen Lutz, the Roane Alliance’s Director of Education and Workforce. “With so many restrictions on interactions and volunteer opportunities, these students made a concerted effort to meet the Tennessee Scholars requirements.”

Presenting the Tennessee Scholar awards were Dina Jackson, Executive Director of the Roane County United Way,  and Allen Lutz. Each Tennessee Scholar received a medallion and certificate during the school ceremonies, and a Tennessee Scholars seal will adorn their diploma and academic transcript.

Ten of the Scholars received Tennessee Scholar Scholarships, each worth $300, supporting their education and career goals.  The students receiving the scholarships and their high schools are Sydney Brackett,  Roane County HS;Morgan Grigsby, Roane County HS; Kassie Jones, Rockwood HS; Alexia Lamb, Roane County HS; Kailey Mackie, Rockwood HS; Jordan Ross, Roane County HS; Harlea Shillings, Harriman HS; Olivia Tagliere, Rockwood HS; Carmen Turner, Oliver Springs HS; and Kendall Wade, Midway HS. 

A grant from the Roane County United Way provided the funds for the ten scholarships.  The United Way’s support of the Tennessee Scholars program is a part of its education efforts which engage students and parents to increase their involvement in setting high educational goals and help them better understand the value of higher education. 

Roane State Community College awarded $500 Tennessee Scholars scholarships, one for a Scholar from each of the five high schools, to attend Roane State in the fall. The scholarship recipients are Carmen Turner, Oliver Springs HS; Niral Patel, Roane County HS; Kristina Spradlin, Harriman HS; Sofia Patterson, Midway HS; and Alexia Milliken, Rockwood HS. Kim Harris, Director of Workforce Training at Roane State, and Andy Spellman from the Office of Student Enrollment and Recruitment presented the Roane State scholarships.

“The goal of Tennessee Scholars is to increase the percentage of Tennessee high school graduates prepared for post-secondary education, the workforce, or the military, said Lutz. “Tennessee Scholars is about workforce preparedness, and workforce preparedness is the number one factor businesses consider when looking to locate in a community. If we don’t have a skilled workforce, businesses will not come here.”   

The Tennessee Scholars is a Roane County Chamber of Commerce led program conducted in partnership with local businesses and Roane County Schools. The Chamber is a partner in The Roane Alliance.

The Roane Alliance's mission is to create an environment and a unified voice that promotes job creation, economic development, enhanced quality of life, education, and workforce.  To learn more about the Alliance and its partners, please call 865.376.2093 or visit www.roanealliance.org. 

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2020-2021 Tennessee Scholars

(not all students named are pictured)

Harriman High School

Photo: Harriman HS TN Scholars Grads

Silas Adkisson, Brittney Altum, Shabre’ Eskridge, Taneyiah Gallaher, Aleena Goldston, Mica Holmes, Maria Ibarra, Riley Moore, Austin Oliver, Harlea Shillings, and Krsitina Spradlin.

Midway High School

Photo: Midway HS TN Scholars Grads

Amber Ekard, Shealeigh Moses, Sophia Patterson, Abby Townsend, Kendall Wade, and Kadrienne Whitehead.

Oliver Springs High School

Photo: Oliver Springs HS TN Scholars Grads

James Beach, Danielle Denham, Savannah Hall, Timothy Koontz, Jacob Martin, Jacob Massengale, Jadyn McCrane, Makayla Pride, Jace Tedder, and Carmen Turner.

Roane County High School

Photo: Roane County HS, 1 of 2, TN Scholars Grads

Photo: Roane County HS, 2 of 2, TN Scholars Grads

Alexis Abbott, Victor Alford, Erin Bailey, Bryson Boles, Nathan Boles, Skylar Brackett, Sydney Brackett, KyAnn Chapman, Landon Diggs, Ryan Dubois, Logan East, Audrey Ferguson, Avery Fritz, Stephen Garrett, Sierra Glandon, Avery Goedeke, Nathan Goss, Zoe Graham, Morgan Grigsby, Fiona Hargis, Hannah Harris, Wyatt Heidle, Taylor Helms, Emma Herrera, Anna Humphrey, Marisa Klein, Alexia Lamb, Gage Lawson, Emma Littlefield, Brady Luttrell, Bryce McCracken, Aaron McKinney, Nathaniel McNelley, Benjamin Murphy, Harper Neal, James Paine, Shakara Pankey, Niral Patel, Isaac Pettitt, Sara Pistole, Braydon Powers, Elizabeth Proctor, Marcus Rose, Jordan Ross, Zane Ryans, Khloe Sampson, Gabriel Sawyer, Madison Scarbrough, Cory Schwarze, Malcolm Sherbine, Demi Shirran, Abby Storm, Raegan Tjon Sien Kie, Savannah Walker, Emma Ward, Kirsten Wattenbarger, Maggie Wright, and Adia York.

Rockwood High School

Photo: Rockwood HS, TN Scholars Grads

Faith Boles, Hunter Cook, Haley Evans, Kassie Jones, Jackson Kelly, Kailey Mackie, Katelyn Maples, Dakota McMillan, Alexia Milliken, Dominic Paolucci, Kaitlyn Rascoe, Jacob Reano, Olivia Tagliere, Landon Vitatoe, and Allison Wilson.

Photo: Aleena Goldston,Harriman HS, & Allen Lutz

Aleena Goldston receives her Tennessee Scholars certificate and medallion at the Harriman High School Senior Awards ceremony on May 13 from Allen Lutz of the Roane Alliance.

Photo: Audrey Ferguson, Roane County HS & Dina Jackson

Audrey Ferguson of Roane County High School receives her Tennessee Scholars certificate from Dina Jackson, Executive Director of the Roane County United Way.

Photo: Kim Harris & Carmen Turner, Oliver Springs HS

Kim Harris, Director of Workforce Training at Roane State Community College, presents the Roane State Tennessee Scholars Scholarship to Carmen Turner of Oliver Springs High School.