Elizabeth Getreu Memorial Scholarship Foundation Awards Over $31,500 to 21 Fayette County Public Schools Seniors

At a Glance

Program: 2026 Elizabeth Getreu Memorial Scholarship
Recipients: 21 Fayette County Public Schools graduating seniors
Total awarded: $31,500
Individual award amount: $1,500 per student
Eligible schools: Fayette County High, McIntosh High, Sandy Creek High, Starr’s Mill High, Whitewater High, Fayette LIFE Academy
Selection process: Essay-based application scored using a judging rubric
Fields of study represented: Arts, business, medical

The Elizabeth Getreu Memorial Scholarship Foundation has awarded $31,500 in scholarships to 21 graduating seniors from Fayette County Public Schools through the 2026 Elizabeth Getreu Memorial Scholarship Program.

The scholarships support students from Fayette County High, McIntosh High, Sandy Creek High, Starr’s Mill High, Whitewater High, and Fayette LIFE Academy who are pursuing post-secondary education in the arts, business and medical fields.

Each recipient received a $1,500 scholarship to help offset the cost of continuing their education.

Named in honor of Elizabeth Getreu, a longtime Fayette County resident, small business owner, and community volunteer, the scholarship recognizes Fayette County Public Schools students who demonstrate academic potential, community involvement and a clear interest in their chosen field of study.

Unlike traditional merit scholarships focused primarily on top academic performance, the Elizabeth Getreu Memorial Scholarship is designed to support students who may not typically qualify for high academic-based awards but have the motivation and ability to succeed in college, university or technical school.

Recipients are selected through an essay-based application process in which students describe:

• Their interest in pursuing careers in the arts, business or medical fields,
• Their future goals, and
• Their commitment to serving their communities. 

Applications are evaluated using a scoring rubric and scholarships are awarded based on the quality of the essay responses. As a result, the number of recipients may vary by school from year to year.

This marks the third consecutive year the scholarships have been awarded. Since the scholarship’s establishment, 57 Fayette County Public Schools graduates have received scholarships totaling more than $85,000.

First Fayette LIFE Academy Open Campus Recipient Recognized

For the first time since the scholarship program began, a scholarship has been awarded to a graduate from the Open Campus program at Fayette LIFE Academy, Fayette County Public Schools’ nontraditional high school program.

Aaliyah Purce received the scholarship pursue a degree in graphic design at Southern Crescent Technical College.

This marks the third consecutive year the scholarships have been awarded. Since the scholarship’s establishment, 57 Fayette County Public Schools graduates have received scholarships totaling more than $85,000.

Scholarship Making an Impact

The scholarship’s impact is already being felt by past recipients.

Nina Huang, a 2025 scholarship recipient and Starr’s Mill High graduate, recently completed her freshman year at Kennesaw State University. She is pursuing a career in nursing and credits the scholarship with helping make her first year successful.

Huang said the scholarship helped make her first year more manageable by allowing her to purchase an iPad for notetaking and organization.

“The scholarship money impacted me more than you could have imagined, and I am truly grateful for your generosity,” Huang said in an email reflecting on her freshman year.

2026 Elizabeth Getreu Memorial Scholarship Recipients

Most of the 2026 recipients plan to pursue studies in the medical field. Seven recipients plan to study business, and three plan to study the arts.

Recipients of the 2026 Elizabeth Getreu Memorial Scholarships are:

Fayette County High

• Ariah Hardy, Medical
• Jasmyn Coleman, Medical
• Nabiha Bhamani, Medical
• Kali Dawes, Business
• Amari Green, Medical

 

Fayette LIFE Academy

• Aaliyah Purce

 

McIntosh High

• Kenza Lezoul, Business
• Anna Dyachenko, Business
• Tristan Campbell, Medical
• Chelby Gambrel, Medical
• Teagan Trowbridge, Medical

 

Sandy Creek High

• Arielle Allen, Medical
• Roderick Smith, Jr., Business
• Myanna Blocker, Arts

 

Starr’s Mill High

• Tyler Cape, Business
• Kennedy Koda, Medical
• Sadie Blodgett, Medical

 

Whitewater High

• Lincoln Richey, Arts
• Syanna Harris, Business
• Reagan Maddox, Medical
• Taylor Corbin, Business