Prince Edward County Announces 2026 Scholarships to Local Students

Published on June 08, 2026

COVID Scholarahips 2026 - Rachels & Tibbs

County Awards Next Round of #Vaccinate Prince Edward Scholarships

Prince Edward County, Va. – The County of Prince Edward recently announced the distribution of the next round of #Vaccinate Prince Edward Scholarships, recognizing local students as they begin the next chapter of their educational journeys.

The scholarships recipients are:

  • Aliyah Rachels, a 2026 graduate of Prince Edward County High School, who will attend Radford University;

  • Ava Tibbs, a 2026 graduate of Prince Edward County High School, who will attend Longwood University; and

  • Mason Dennison, a 2026 graduate of James River High School, who will attend Brightpoint Community College.

The #Vaccinate Prince Edward Scholarship Program was established by the Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors in 2021 during a time when schools and communities across the nation were working to safely return students to classrooms and normalize activities following the COVID-19 pandemic.

To support those efforts and invest in the future of local students, the County committed $5,000 in local funding to create the scholarship program. Community partners quickly joined the effort, contributing an additional $15,000 in scholarship funding and allowing the program to expand to ten $2,000 scholarships for eligible students.

Contributors to the #Vaccinate Prince Edward Scholarship Program included:

  • Centra Health – $5,000

  • Farmville Cares – $1,000

  • Hampden-Sydney College – $2,000

  • Longwood University – $2,000

  • Luck Stone – $1,000

  • Mid-Atlantic Irrigation – $1,000

  • Jim O’Conner (PECHS alumnus) – $1,000

  • Piedmont Senior Resources – $2,000

  • Prince Edward County – $5,000

In July 2021, the County randomly selected ten students who attended school in Prince Edward County from the pool of applicants. Scholarship funds are held by the County until recipients graduate from high school and enroll in eligible post-secondary programs, including colleges, universities, community colleges, apprenticeship programs, and workforce training programs.

“When the scholarship program was created, these students were attending Prince Edward County Middle School and were navigating a very uncertain time,” said Douglas P. Stanley, County Administrator. “Today, it is rewarding to see them graduating, pursuing higher education, and preparing for bright futures.  Prince Edward County is proud to support their continued success.”

###

About Prince Edward County:

In 1754,  the County of Prince Edward was established in southern Virginia. Today, it stands as the crossroads of the closing days of the American Civil War and the birthplace of America’s fight for civil rights in education. Home to 22,000 citizens, the County offers a rural, progressive lifestyle, two institutions of higher education, a vibrant arts and cultural community, a flourishing downtown shopping district, and a rich abundance of college athletics and outdoor recreational offerings. Find out more: visit the Prince Edward County website or follow Prince Edward County on Facebook @PrinceEdwardCo and on YouTube.


Tagged as:
Back to top