NCAST & NCHSAA Teen Safe Driving - Ambassadors Needed! Please share with your student-athletes!

The North Carolina Alliance For Safe Transportation (NCAST) & NCHSAA have partnered to launch the second year of our Teen Safe Driving Ambassador Program!

The program was successful in its first year, with roughly 150 students signing up from across the state, and $2,500 in educational scholarships being awarded to five Teen Ambassadors. This program aims to raise awareness about safe driving behaviors and promote awareness of driving safety issues specific to younger drivers, through peer-to-peer messaging, focusing on avoiding distractions while driving, learning and obeying traffic laws, and always wearing seatbelts.

Students participating in the NCAST Teen Safe Driving Ambassador Program will be eligible to win a $1,000 educational scholarship at the end of the school year. Five scholarships will be awarded based on a competitive application process tied to what they did as a Teen Ambassador. Students will be made aware of the program via NCHSAA social media, and provided with a link to register. Please encourage all your students to become NCAST Teen Safe Driving Ambassadors.

Learn more here: https://www.besafenc.org/teen-ambassador/

Are you planning to attend Edgecombe Community College in the fall of 2026?  Here are links to four ECC Scholarships, three of which are new!

1. EDGE Scholarship (covers tuition, books, and fees) - 2.8 unweighted GPA, must have completed six hours of college credit while in high school, U.S. Citizen, must complete the ECC Admission Application and FAFSA). 

https://edgecombe.edu/current-students/financial-aid/scholarships-2/the-edge-scholarship/

DEADLINE March 15, 2026

2. First Flight Scholarship ($500 over the first year) - U.S. Citizen and have a high school unweighted GPA of 2.6, must enroll in a degree program approved for financial aid, must maintain enrollment and good academic standing; 

https://edgecombe.edu/current-students/financial-aid/scholarships-2/first-flight-scholarship/

DEADLINE March 15, 2026

3. ESports Scholar ($2,000 over two years) - U.S. Citizen and 2026 graduate of ECPS with an unweighted GPA of at least 2.6 and proven gaming experience and a passion for being on an Esports competitive team; scholarship recipient is required to meet additional gaming requirements outlined by the gaming coach to continue to receive the grant funding.

https://edgecombe.edu/current-students/financial-aid/scholarships-2/esports-scholars/

DEADLINE March 15, 2026

4.  Eagle Mascot Scholarship ($1,000 per year) - perform as the Eagle Mascot at campus and community events; must be fun, warm, friendly, and available for evening/weekend events; must maintain 2.6+ GPA and be a part-time student; 

https://edgecombe.edu/current-students/financial-aid/scholarships-2/eagle-mascot-scholarship/ 

DEADLINE April 1, 2026

Information on this scholarship and application can be found at https://www.ncdames.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=572:2026-florence-kidder-memorial-scholarship&catid=20:site-content 

Deadline 2/8/26

Florence Kidder Memorial Scholarship

The Florence Kidder Memorial Scholarship (FKMS) honors the memory of the first president of the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of North Carolina, Florence Hill Kidder.

• Six scholarships will be awarded in one year: First place- $3,000, second place- $1,000, third place- $800 and three fourth places- $400.

• Scholarships are not renewable.

• Awarded to a high school senior who plans to attend a post-secondary institution in North Carolina.

2026 Essay Topic:

Exploring the Voices of Early Carolina: Life, Hardship and Settlement Through Primary Sources

Any written text can tell us about the time in which it was written. It can provide direct information but also offers insight through subtle implications and context. Because the NSCDA-NC is dedicated to deepening our understanding and appreciation of America’s colonial past, you will be analyzing firsthand accounts written by individuals who lived during the earliest years of English exploration and settlement in Carolina.

These primary sources include:

Robert Horne: “A Brief Description of the Province of Carolina.” (1666), p.62-73.
Thomas Newe: “Letters of Thomas Newe.” (1682), p.176-186.
Samuel Wilson: “An Account of the Province of Carolina” (1682), p.160-175.
Hilton, William. “A Relation of a Discovery.” (1664), p.31-61.

All can be found in: Salley, Alexander S. Jr., ed. Narratives of Early Carolina 1650-1708. Original Narratives of Early American History. J. Franklin Jameson, gen. ed. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1911.
Available online: https://archive.org/details/narrearlycarolina00sallrich/page/60/mode/2up

In your essay, describe what life was like during this period, highlighting the hardships and challenges faced by both early European settlers and the Indigenous peoples of the region.

Consider aspects such as:

• The physical environment: landscape, climate, and natural resources

• Interpersonal dynamics: relationships within and between communities

• The prevalence and impact of disease

• Access to food, tools, and supplies

• Efforts to attract new settlers to the colony

You may consult outside resources (e.g., Wikipedia or Google Maps) for general background, but your analysis should primarily be grounded in the above-listed documents. Be sure to clearly cite any specific information drawn from your sources.

Click Here for Application

Eligibility

To be considered, a candidate must:

• Be a North Carolina high school senior who is planning on matriculating into a postsecondary program in North Carolina beginning in the fall after their senior year of high school.

• See the Application Procedure below.

Value

First place - $3,000, second place - $1,000, third place - $800 and three fourth places - $400.

Application Procedure

1. A completed application form answering all questions and supplying all requested documents.

2. An original essay of 500 to 700 words on the prompt provided.

Deadline

All essays must be submitted by February 8, 2026

Note: Family members of current NSCDA-NC Officers, Board Members, and State Committee Chairs are not eligible to apply.

Questions? More information?

Email:  fkidderscholarship@ncdames.org

2026 HBCU Scholarship offered by the Wilson–Rocky Mount–Tarboro (NC) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered, applicants must:

• Graduated during the 2025–2026 academic year from a high school within our chapter’s service area

• Plan to attend a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in Fall 2026

• Have a minimum 2.5 unweighted cumulative GPA

Required Application Materials

Students must submit a complete application packet that includes:

• A completed scholarship application

• An official high school transcript

• SAT or ACT scores

• Two (2) letters of reference

• A student essay (per application guidelines)

• A copy of the student’s letter of acceptance from an HBCU

Submission Details

All application materials must be received by April 1, 2026.
Completed application packets should be emailed to:

 lavettefordaka@gmail.com

Check your school email for links to the application and cover letter. 

The Golden LEAF Scholarship strives to increase economic opportunities for North Carolina’s rural and economically distressed areas by investing in students who commit to attend a North Carolina institution, graduate, and indicate an interest in returning to a rural community in the state. When thinking of students who may be a good fit for this scholarship, we encourage you to share this information with students who are currently active in their rural community and have expressed an interest in returning.

The 2026-2027 school year Golden LEAF Scholarship application will be activated on January 12, 2026. The student’s full application packet must be electronically completed and submitted with all required information/documentation via the application system by March 1, 2026, to receive consideration.

A complete application packet consists of:

1. Golden LEAF Scholarship Application

2. NC High School Academic Transcript (must include final grades for Fall 2025 term classes)

3. Program Consent for Disclosure Form

4. 2026-2027 FAFSA (fully processed by the US Dept. of Education)

5. NC residency confirmed via Residency Determination Service

Note:                  

• Items 1, 2 and 3 are submitted electronically by the student via their account in the application system (NCSEAA MyPortal).  Required before the system will allow them to submit their information.

• We will be able to obtain students’ FAFSA information directly from the US Dept. of Education if at least one NC college/university is listed in the school section.

• We will be able to obtain the students’ residency information directly from the NC Residency Determination Service office if they complete the process.

The website that houses information about the program, including eligibility requirements and the link to apply, can be accessed via the “Program Information” tab below.  Attached is an electronic copy of the information palm card for the program.  If you would like to receive printed copies of the palm card, respond to this email to advise. 

Program Information

Seniors, these are the major scholarships available to ECPS students.  This can be BIG money for our students. Deadline for these scholarships - March 3!  

Apply at https://www.nccommunityfoundation.org/scholarships

The major ones specific to Edgecombe County are listed below:

Elizabeth Braswell Sheffield Scholarship

Lossie Grist Clark Memorial Scholarship

Mary Ferebee Howard Scholarship

McBryde Scholarship

Superintendent Lee R & Lavelle Parker Hall Scholarship

Please check your school email to find documents related to the State Employees' Credit Union Scholarship. Once again, ECPS will be receiving 2 $10,000 scholarships (payable at $1250 per semester). As in the past, each school will select 2 students to move forward.  A panel of community members will select the 2 ECPS representatives from the 8 candidates (2 from each of our 4 high schools). Selected recipients will be notified in early April.

APPLICATIONS are due to Mrs. Gay by March 4, 2016. A panel of teachers will select two students to move to the district level. 

The committee will use the following criteria to award to scholarship recipients:

• Is either an SECU member or is eligible for membership through a parent/guardian. Student or their parent/guardian must be a member at the time of application. 

• Is a senior at a North Carolina public high school who has been accepted to one of the 16 constituent campuses of the University of North Carolina System, copy of acceptance letter must be provided. 

• Is a US citizen and a resident of North Carolina under NCGS 116-143.1 and is eligible for in-state tuition.  

• Best exemplifies the “People Helping People” philosophy of SECU, and has demonstrated leadership, excellence of character, integrity, and community involvement.

• Demonstrates scholastic achievement with a maintained 2.5 or higher unweighted grade point average on a 4.0 scale and may be deserving of financial aid.

• Will use the scholarship to pay for full-time undergraduate student tuition and fees.  

• Agrees to continue as a full-time student in good standing (maintained 2.5 or higher GPA) with the same university for up to eight (8) consecutive fall/spring semesters payable at $1,250 per semester. Scholarships are not transferable without prior approval of SECU Foundation. a. A written appeal for transfer must be made to the SECU Foundation prior to transfer. b. No transfers will be allowed to a university outside of the UNC System. c. Any gap in active enrollment will result in non-eligibility for funding for each semester missed.  

• Is not a director, employee, or family member of a director or employee of SECU or the SECU Foundation, or a family member of a member of the scholarship selection committee. For the purpose of this scholarship program and a student’s relation to a director, employee, or selection committee member, family member includes spouse, parents, siblings, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and spouses of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, of a selection committee member, employee or director of SECU, or employee or director of SECU Foundation. Also, for the purpose of this scholarship program and a student’s relation to a director, employee, or selection committee member, family member also includes persons living in the same residence and maintaining a single economic unit as a selection committee member, employee or director of SECU, or employee or director of SECU Foundation. However, please note that the student must be a member of SECU or be eligible for membership through a parent or guardian at the time of application to be eligible for the scholarship. 

Please see the attached documents in your school email on how to apply for this scholarship. 

*2026 PHP Application Process – This document provides step-by-step instructions for how students will complete the two parts of the application (Membership Verification; Application). It contains the Membership Verification link that begins the whole process. 

*I have recorded a video where I walk through the two DocuSign processes.  Feel free to share this with counselors and students if they are struggling to complete the DocuSign steps.

DocuSign Process Recording   Passcode: gg$1.6%j