ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The Rotary Club of Asheville has awarded 21 Tennent Scholarships to graduating seniors from nine high schools across Buncombe County.

The scholarships, which range from $2,000 to $4,000, are awarded based on financial need and an interview process. They are part of the club’s broader scholarship program, which has provided a total of $72,300 in scholarships this year.

Awardees include:

Asheville High School

  • Colton Peizer Kelischek
  • Harmoni Alyse Jackson
  • Isaiah Wesley Huggins
  • Lila James Stevenso
  • Siena Kathleen Gentry
  • Sophia Bella Glover
  • Zianthony Kenny Williams

Enka High School

  • Alexsander Santana-Delgado
  • Karen Uribe-Huizache
  • Kyndall Morgan Rector

Erwin High School

  • Camilo Andres Urbina Mora
  • Ivy Liu Ward

Nesbitt Academy

  • Demarrion Terell Brown

North Buncombe High School

  • Ava Elizabeth Rendel
  • Kaitlyn Jaide Richards

Odyssey School

  • Adelaide Milling

Owen High School

  • Ezzie Jaz Noteboom
  • Joshua Fredric Zeigler

Reynolds High School

  • Jayden Rose Thomas

SILSA

  • Aiden Patrick Bell Short
  • Sydney Desiree Dickson

The Rotary Club of Asheville founded the Tennent Scholarships in 1998 after the club determined that a scholarship program based on financial need and academic merit was needed. The program is named in honor of late Rotary Club of Asheville member Buzz Tennent, who was a president of Rotary International.

The club’s annual fundraising pays for the scholarships. In 2017, the “Songwriters in the Round” event was started to expand the Tennent Scholarships. This fundraiser has enabled the scholarships to grow from $10,000 for five scholarships in 2020 to $72,500 for scholarships this year.

In 2023, eligibility was expanded from Asheville High School to include all high schools in Buncombe County.

The Tennent Scholarship program is aimed at students who don’t qualify for or receive more traditional scholarships that are solely based on academics or athletics. These students have overcome circumstances that were not of their own making and are designed to help them continue their studies after high school.