New Little Swiss Educational Scholarship to benefit Highland High students and alumni

Since 2018, the Little Swiss Fund has poured more than $2.3 million into support for Highland County nonprofits. Now that same fund is supporting a new scholarship for Highland High School seniors and alumni. The Little Swiss Educational Scholarship is a $1,000 award, renewable for up to four years, to support studies at a public or private college or university. 

The application process is administered by The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham, which also runs the grant cycle for the nonprofit awards. 

“The initial $10 million gift to establish the Little Swiss Fund focused on supporting area nonprofits, but there was also a special provision to start this scholarship to celebrate and support students and alumni of Highland High School,” said Ann Siciliano, senior director of scholarships and grants at The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham. “This annual award will honor the hard work of individual students, but also the investment of the broader Highland community in molding and inspiring the next generation.” 

The application closes April 5. 

Scholarship criteria

Students must have been residents of Highland County since the ninth grade, have earned a minimum GPA of 3.0, and have a 90% attendance record. 

Only students who have been accepted to attend an accredited public or private college or university may apply.  

A final criteria is that applicants must be able to show that their family has planned in advance and made a financial commitment to support the student’s college education. 

Other available scholarships

Highland students and alumni may qualify for two other scholarships offered by the foundation.

  • Virginia Ready Initiative scholarships provide financial assistance to adult students pursuing certifications in IT/tech, healthcare, and the skilled trades at Massanutten Technical Center, Laurel Ridge Community College, or Blue Ridge Community College. 
  • Any community college graduate transferring from Mountain Gateway, Blue Ridge, or Laurel Ridge community colleges to a four-year Virginia Public institution can apply for the Community College Transfer Scholarship. 

More than $390,000 launches TCFHR scholarship winners into fall studies

Forty-five students were awarded scholarships this year from The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham. Awards total $393,000, with thousands more dollars going out to more than 30 recipients of renewable scholarships based on academic performance.

Seventeen Valley high schools were represented among the recipients. Turner Ashby was well-represented, with seven recent graduates earning top awards and an additional four juniors being named to the Brighter Futures mentoring program.

TCFHR offered 28 scholarships this year, with nine of those scholarships offering awards to multiple students. The awards range from tuition for one class at Massanutten Technical Center to $10,000 a year for four years to a student pursuing a bachelor’s degree.

Learn more about TCFHR scholarships.

Recipients are selected by committee members comprised of 100 Valley community members. Students from 22 Valley high schools can apply. A few scholarships are open to local students attending area community colleges and universities.

Below are the 2025 recipients:

Arthur John Leavenworth – Eureka Lodge #195 Scholarship ($500)

  • Clay Shantz, Turner Ashby
  • Kaylee Dolan, Fort Defiance

Brighter Future Mentoring Award ($750)

  • Abigail Floyd, Broadway
  • Kayla Mata, Turner Ashby
  • Natasha Nikitchuk, Turner Ashby
  • Daniela Santos Lopez, Turner Ashby
  • Leylani Espinoza, Turner Ashby

Claude and Frances Warren Scholarship ($5,000)

  • Mason Smith, Harrisonburg
Community College Transfer Scholarship ($8,000 for 2 years/$16,000 total)
  • Love Joshi

Debi Emrich Memorial Scholarship ($1,000)

  • Claire Mathias, Broadway

Dennis R. and Patricia R. Early Scholarship ($4,000/4 years/$16,000 total)

  • Benjamin Tomei, Spotswood

Early Ace Scholarship ($7,000/4 years/$28,000)

  • Evan Day, Waynesboro
  • Jackson Amaya, Harrisonburg
  • Ashley Chavez Gomez, Harrisonburg
  • Kevin Ruiz, Rocktown

Emory & Henry College Scholarship ($2,000/4 years/$8,000 total)

  • Beau Baylor, Turner Ashby

Fund for Education Scholarship ($5,000)

  • Jade McCarley, Madison County
  • Abigail Brown, Eastern View

Harold & Faye Teer Scholarship

  • Monica Espinoza-Martine, Rocktown ($10,000/4 years/$40,000 total)
  • Bryan Sagastume, Harrisonburg ($6,000/4 years/$24,000)

Laymon H. and Ruth S. Lantz Scholarship ($1,000)

  • Grace Tuttle, EMU MA in Counseling program

Leo Slusher Award ($2,500)

  • James Vincell, Pendleton

Mark & Kimberly Vocational Scholarship ($1,200)

  • Getsemany Pineda, Turner Ashby
  • Cai Johnstone-Yellin, Turner Ashby

Luis A. Mendez, Jr. Scholarship ($2,000)

  • Brett Eye, Turner Ashby

Marion James & Anna Ressler Hess Memorial Scholarship (for Oxford, PA students)

  • Rebecca Powell ($2,000)
  • Riley Fitzgerald ($1,000)

Andy King Memorial Scholarship ($2,000)

  • Brieanna Moreland, James Wood

HEF – Gregory S. Kuykendall Memorial Scholarship ($1,000/4 years/$4,000)

  • Andrew Lankford, Turner Ashby

Just One Scholarship ($1,000)

  • Legacy Wright

Bev Good Memorial Scholarship ($1,000)

  • David Gipson, Spotswood

Randy Michie Memorial Scholarship ($3,000)

  • Ryleigh Fix, William Monroe

Matthew Mahnesmith Memorial Scholarship ($4,000)

  • Matthew Bailey, Waynesboro

Ronnie Brunk Memorial Scholarship ($640)

  • Taha Abdulrahman, MTC

Samuel R. Bowman II Endowed Scholarship for BRCC ($2,ooo/2 years/$4,000 total)

  • Anahi Reyes Hernandez, Turner Asbhy
  • Bryan Sagastume, Harrisonburg
  • Camila Suarez Nunez, East Rockingham

Samuel R. Bowman II Endowed Scholarship for JMU

  • Fernando Sagastume, BRCC and Harrisonburg ($4,000/2 years/$8,000)
  • Brisel Valdez, Turner Ashby ($3,700/4 years/$14,800)

Society of Seniors Foundation Scholarship ($2,500/4 years/$10,000 total)

  • Thomas Kittler, Broughton HS

Steve May Runner of the Year Award ($1,000)

  • Kaedon Howley, Harrisonburg

W.P. & T.M. Phillips Memorial Scholarship ($5,000/4 years/$20,000 total)

  • Ayla Janney, Broadway
  • Clay Shantz, Turner Ashby
  • Taylor Leland, Central
  • Sarah Craun, Turner Ashby

Six area schools win Technology Student Association chapter grants from the Appleseeds Foundation

Each year students around the Shenandoah Valley compete in the Virginia State Technosphere competition, showcasing their skills over four days in a variety of competitions. Unlike other competitors in the state, however, these students have a special opportunity.

The Appleseeds Foundation donor-advised fund, managed by the Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham, promotes technology learning in area public schools with a competitive grant opportunity. Awards are made to middle and high school chapters of the Technology Students Association (TSA) with the best cumulative performances at the state event.

In May, students from Stuarts Draft Middle School and Spotswood High School racked up the wins — and helped their chapter win a $1,500 award. Montevideo Middle School and Wilson tied for second place among area middle schools, and were each awarded $1,000.

Among high schools, Wilson Memorial and Sherando, also tied for second and received $1,000.

The awards are often used to fund travel to the national competition — the 2025 event is this week in Nashville, Tenn. TSA is a national career and technical student organization for students engaged in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). More than 300,000 students nationwide participate.

Innovation in charitable giving

“Supporting education is of paramount importance in today’s society, and TSA is a particularly important program for teaching our young folks awareness and skills that will be essential in the future,” said fund advisor Fred Showker. “These students, some day, will be responsible for our quality of life!”

The TSA awards are a great example of how the Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham supports innovations in charitable giving, says Executive Director Revlan Hill.

“This kind of funding is a really unique way of making a difference through charitable giving. Rather than the funds simply going to the chapters, this funding structure set up by the Appleseeds Foundation fund rewards competitive excellence,” she said. “The students see that their efforts can help both their peers, their teacher-advisors, and the program in the future. We love that the advisors are given flexibility in deciding how the funds are used, because they’re the ones who know best how that funding can best serve their students.”

The award structure doesn’t require any involvement from the donors and fund advisors, who can count on TCFHR to continue annual administration. TCFHR staff make sure new and returning advisors are aware of the grant and that points are totaled and sent in after each year’s state competition.

Wilson Middle School advisors John Sellers and Taylor Bauer said the grant helps support the ongoing activities of the chapter — and changes lives as a result.

“Technosphere not only makes a lasting impression on students in shaping their futures, but also provides an opportunity for students to practice life-long skills: team work, problem solving, communicating and presenting ideas, and time management,” they said in a thank-you letter. “Many thanks for being part of this.”

Spotswood brings home six medals

The Spotswood High School TSA chapter took its largest group of students ever to the state competition, winning six medals in the fashion design and technology, geospatial technology, structural engineering and design, technology problem-solving, and manufacturing prototyping contests.

Sherando notched a first-place finish in the technical problem-solving event, creating the longest suspending bridge (by 17 inches) that balanced to two tennis balls without falling.

Wilson Memorial took first place in the CAD-architecture division (their advisor also noted that next year’s president of the Valley region, State Council, comes from Wilson).

Eleven Stuarts Draft Middle School students competed, bringing home three top three finishes in CAD foundations, video game design, and electrical applications.

Montevideo’s best finish was a second place in problem-solving. Wilson took first place in this contest.

All of these six chapters recorded “finalist” finishes as well.

Eligible chapters for this grant include middle and high schools in the counties of Augusta, Bath, Frederick, Greene, and Rockingham counties  and Harrisonburg, Staunton, Waynesboro and Winchester city schools.

 

Father’s tribute leads to commemorative scholarship for son and daughter

Kim Price Lapsley and Mark Price are honored with a new scholarship for Turner Ashby High School students. Both graduated from TA.

Two Turner Ashby High School students were the recipients of new scholarships offered this year in memory of a brother and sister who graduated from the Dayton school.

Local resident Joseph Price set up the awards to honor his son Mark Hamilton Price and daughter Kimberly Jo Price Lapsley. Mark graduated in 1982 and Kimberly in 1991.

“As we worked with Mr. Price, he shared memories of his children’s success at TA,” said Revlan Hill, executive director. “Mark was manager of TA’s ‘Dirty Dozen’ football team and enjoyed his classes in art. Kimberly participated on the VACE academic bowl team, fielding questions about literature and language. Turner Ashby was obviously a big influence on their lives, and it made the most sense for Mr. Price to set up a scholarship to benefit current students at the high school that had supported his children’s interests and helped them grow as students and people.”

Awardees Getsemany Pineda and Cai Johnstone-Yellin both plan to attend Massanutten Technical Center.

Donate to the Mark & Kimberly Vocational Scholarship.

Pineda, a midfielder for three years on the Knights soccer team, is heading into the electrical field, with the goal of owning a business in the future. He is planning a full schedule of courses to expedite his learning before apprenticeship, so the funding will help defray some of those costs, he said.

Asked to name someone who has inspired him through high school, Pineda named his father. “He works hard for our family and you will never see him with a sad face. He is always joyful and makes his family happy as well.”

Pineda says he is honored to be a recipient: “I really appreciate the help and will be putting it in good use for my future as an electrician. It means a lot winning this award!”

Johnstone-Yellin comes from a family of tradesmen. He plans to pursue welding. He’s taken several courses at MTC already, where a simulated workplace environment is used to prepare students for the workforce. As project manager, Johnstone-Yellin led a crew of peer “subcontractors” through several projects, earning praise from instructors.

For Joseph Price, the scholarship offers a way to remember his children while giving hope and support to a younger generation of TA graduates. He continues to miss both of his children — Mark died in 2024 and Kimberly in 2014.

Though neither his son nor daughter worked in the trades or attended vocational school, Price decided after reviewing other local scholarship offerings that creating an award for vocational education met his goals. One vocational education course has the potential to change the trajectory of a life – and offer immediate skills to apply in the labor force.

Mark, a Dayton resident, was the byproducts coordinator at Lakeside Books in Harrisonburg. He loved the outdoors, hunting, riding horses and motorcycles, as well as cooking for friends and family. His homemade barbecue sauce is still remembered and his pitchfork turkey in peanut oil was always a Thanksgiving treat. Mark was a drummer and enjoyed making and listening to music. His last dog, Zeba, was a constant companion.

Kimberly was also a musician, performing with her husband and the 100 Proof bluegrass band. She was a great gourmet chef. She loved spending time on St. John’s in the U.S. Virgin Islands with friends she’d made there over many trips. She graduated with honors and a degree in English literature from Mary Baldwin University, studied at Oxford University (U.K.), and was a member of Sigma Tau Delta, the national English majors honor society. As did her brother, she loved her dogs and was a member of the “Save A Lab” program.

In future years, the Mark and Kimberly Vocational Scholarships are to be awarded to one graduating male student and one graduating female student at Turner Ashby High School.

It’s an Emory & Henry alumni reunion every time this scholarship committee meets

PHOTO: Members of the Emory & Henry University Scholarship committee at their April meeting, the 10th anniversary of the scholarship. All are alumni and current residents of the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County area. Standing, from left: Jay Webb, Sid Smith, scholarship founder David Driver, Olivia Haimani, Karen Ford. Seated, from left: Kate Nardi, Amanda Nott.

Every year, committee members meet to interview candidates for the Emory & Henry University Scholarship and every year, that meeting is something of a reunion.

Members of the selection committee — all E & H graduates and current city or county residents — are scholarship founder David W. Driver, Karen Ford, Olivia Haimani, Kate Nardi, Amanda Nott, Sid Smith, and Jay Webb.

Driver, a 1970 alumnus, started the scholarship 10 years ago with the goal of “providing local students the opportunity to explore the benefits of a smaller university community.”

The scholarship has provided 24 grants for a total of $33,500.

The 2025 scholarship was awarded to Beau Baylor, a senior from Turner Ashby High School, Dayton, Va.
Candidates for the annual award/s must be from any high school in Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, or Augusta County and meet the following further criteria: a 2.5 minimum GPA, community involvement, and demonstration of good character, determination, and leadership qualities.
Contributions to this permanent endowment will benefit Valley students in perpetuity. Click here to donate.

TCF opens scholarship applications, with almost $1 million in funding available

From left: Vincent Tran (Virginia Tech), Kerrigan Bauserman (North Carolina State), and Ashlyn Smiley (Mary Baldwin University) were among the local recipients of scholarships to fund their studies in fall 2024. The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham offers nearly $1 million in funding to area students in vocational and academic programs each year.

Students seeking funding to pursue academic or vocational studies in fall 2025 can now apply for scholarship opportunities with The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham (TCFHR).

Nearly $1 million in funding is available, with additional funds for vocational studies available through the VAReady program.

The application cycle closes April 24.

Learn more about all scholarships.

Apply for a scholarship.

Awards range from $500 to $10,000. Approximately 80 committee members determine the awardees, which are announced in the late spring.

TCFHR’s website includes more information and eligibility criteria about the 26 scholarships offered. Adult students and high school students from most counties in the Shenandoah Valley and many adjoining areas are eligible to apply.

“Not all of the 26 scholarship funds are for Harrisonburg and Rockingham County students. We work with donors who want to support students up and down the Shenandoah Valley,” said Senior Director of Scholarships and Grants Ann Siciliano. “We encourage students, parents and guidance counselors to visit our website and take a look at what is offered, including some new opportunities this year.”

Scholarships offer general support to those pursuing trade skills, professional certifications, and general academic studies, as well as to those pursuing specific academic fields, such as music, kinesiology, education, and agriculture.

Some scholarships are limited to applicants from specific high schools. Others support students who want to pursue their education in a certain vocation or career path.

Siciliano urges students and parents to spend a few minutes reading about the scholarships. “I think people will be surprised about the number of opportunities,” she said. “Donors come to us with connections to geographic areas or certain high schools or fields of study and we work with them to help meet their philanthropic goals.”

About half of the scholarships funded by donors commemorate or memorialize a family member. The newest scholarship remembers Captain Anderson “Andy” King and is open to graduating seniors from public high schools in a 13-county area who will pursue agricultural studies.

The Mark Price and Kimberly Jo Price Lapsley Memorial Scholarship is also new this year and celebrates the lives of these two graduates of Turner Ashby High School by supporting fellow TA grads pursuing vocational education.

My experience with scholarships and advice for applicants

Who: Amanda, our Director of Marketing and Program Initiatives, sat down with Ann Siciliano, Director of Program Services.

 

The Community Foundation is in scholarship season which means eligible students are applying for school funding. Preparing for college is scary enough, but we want student applicants to know that our staff is here for them. We want to give students the support they need to pursue their education. Learn more about our scholarships and read what Ann has to say below! 

 

 

Amanda: What kind of impacts have you seen over the years with the program?

Ann: I guess the impacts I’ve seen are many times for not just first generation students but for a lot of students that without the opportunity to have the scholarship money for them they would not have been able to finish school. They have written us and told us that. They have come by to visit. I have seen them out and about in the community. Many of the ones I run into relay that the impact it had and the burden that it lifted from them to be able to study and not work as much while they went to school. And it really kept them in school.

Amanda: Do you have a favorite memory of your time doing scholarships?

Ann: I think there is one student that comes to mind. He was one of our Early Ace scholarship recipients in the early years of that fund. There is a GPA requirement for that scholarship. It is a renewable scholarship but you need to keep a 3.0 GPA. If you don’t, you get one semester of grace before you are not renewed. So this student had had his semester of grace. He floundered a bit his freshman year. Sophomore year, he didn’t apply himself as well and he floundered again. So the scholarship was not renewed for the rest of that year. It was devastating to the student because he did have financial need and he was desperate to continue. It was expected in his family that he would get his degree. They were supportive but he needed the money. We didn’t award it that year and it was a hard thing to do. But he got tutoring help, got the support that he needed to be successful. He worked with his advisors more, worked with his professors more, and turned his GPA around the next semester and it was stellar. It was stellar from then on until he graduated. So of course his scholarship was renewed. He came in and thanked us because it was the kick in the pants that he needed. He is now applying to PA school and has been so successful. I have seen him out in the community and he is just so appreciative of the opportunity that we gave him and that we also helped him get on the right foot and do what he needed to do to be successful. So that is one of my favorite memories.

Amanda: What kind of things do you look for in the application when you receive them?

Ann: Many of them are requiring demonstrated financial need. So an award notification from the school that truly these students need the financial assistance because they qualify for federal or state or institutional money. So there is a need there. We look for that for many of them. A lot of them it is academic performance. What is their GPA? Some of them it is a community involvement. How many activities have they been involved in or what sorts of activities? Leadership roles within those activities are important to many scholarship donors. They want to see a tendency or an aptitude for leadership. For others it is a particular area of study. Are they going to study agriculture? Are they studying horticulture? Do they want to study math or business or STEM majors? It is a particular major or field of study that the donors are looking for, for that particular scholarship. For others, for one in particular, it is strictly merit-based. How strong is the academic profile for the student and are they going to pursue a particular major, which in that case is education. They want the strongest student. They don’t care if they need financial assistance or not, they are rewarding the accomplishments of that particular student who is going to pursue an education major. So it really varies depending on the scholarship.

Amanda: Last question, do you have any advice for the student applicants this year?

Ann: Don’t wait until the last minute to submit your application. Be sure to ask the people who need to submit letters of reference for your transcript for you. Give them plenty of time to do that. Take a lot of time to think about what is interesting about you or different about you as you answer your questions. It makes you unique so that the committee can see that as they read applications. Pay attention to detail because the committees notice.

To learn more and apply for scholarships from The Community Foundation, visit: tcf-stage.stage3.estlandhosting.com/students/scholarship-funds/.

Questions for Ann may be directed to: ann@tcfhr.org or give us a call at 540-432-3863.

2021 Community Foundation Scholarship Awards Announced

The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County celebrates another successful year working with donors in providing scholarships to students in our local area. Over $245,000 in scholarship were given to students of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. Congratulations to all 2021 scholarship recipients! For the list of students, please visit our 2021 Scholarship Awards page.

TCFHR believes education is the key to a bright future. TCFHR administers a variety of merit based and aid scholarship programs that grant more than $200,000 annually to high school, community college and university students. The majority of our scholarships are designated for current or former residents of Harrisonburg or Rockingham County. Scholarships are made for tuition and related educational expenses and are paid directly to the educational institution.

Merit based and financial aid scholarships are established by generous local individuals, corporations or organizations to assist students with their educational pursuits. Often scholarships are created in the name of the donor or by families who wish to memorialize a loved one. Other financial aid scholarships have been established by individuals who simply want to extend a helping hand for college-bound students. Each scholarship expresses a deep belief in the power of education to help students achieve their academic dreams.

For more information on how to establish a scholarship with TCFHR, visit tcf-stage.stage3.estlandhosting.com/ or call us at 540-432-3863.