Florence Kidder Scholarships Awarded PDF Print Email
Written by Allen, Joy   
Monday, May 01, 2017 03:17 PM

This year, the NSCDA-NC's Florence Kidder Memorial Scholarship (FKMS) received a total of 106 applications.  31 of these made it to the statewide competition.  Many of the finalists represent the top of their classes and have taken rigorous coursework.  According to the FKMS Chairman Martha Alexander, this year’s essays were especially strong and interesting, making it difficult to pick a winner and runner-up.  Fortunately, the scholarship program received some additional, unexpected funding, making it possible to award third, fourth and fifth place winners.

Alexander and co-reader Helen Meyer read essays on Quakers, Puritans, Pilgrims, Moravians, Huguenots, Scots-Irish, Swiss, and even the French-Italian Waldensians (from Valdese,NC).  Some students also wrote essays about a specific ancestor’s immigration.  The winning essays were those that Alexander and Meyer felt most thoroughly answered all of the questions posed in the prompt and that most properly documented sources of information throughout the essay.

Railey PittsThey selected Railey Pitts as the first-place winner.  She is from Glen Alpine in Burke County.  Her application represents the “At-Large” Committee, as Burke County does not have a local Dames County Committee.  She wrote a richly-detailed, nicely documented, and well-written essay about the Moravian immigration to America.  She is very involved in her high school marching band—she was even drum major this year.  She is also involved in student government, math team, tutoring children with special needs, and Anchor Club, which is her school’s service organization.  She has applied to North Carolina State University, UNC Chapel Hill, and Duke University. Railey Pitts essay...

Lizbeth TurrubiartesThe second-place winner is Lizbeth Turrubiartes.  Lizbeth is from Hot Springs in Madison County and also represents the At-Large Committee.  Her nicely-researched essay was on the Quaker Migration and William Penn.  Her extracurricular activities include the Health Occupation Students of America Club and Partnership for Appalachian Girls’ Education.  Her goal is to become a nurse.  She has applied to Appalachian State University, Western Carolina University, UNC-Chapel Hill, and UNC-Charlotte. Lizbeth Turrubiartes essay...


Additional Scholarship Awards

Last fall when Pat Crittenden, a descendant of Florence Kidder, passed away, her family requested contributions to the FKMS en lieu of flowers. The ensuing influx of donations enabled the NSCDA-NC to award three additional scholarships for 2017 and to bank funds for awards in future years.

The third place winner, MacKenzie R. Morgan of New Hanover County,  will receive  $800
for her essay on the Pilgrims.  MacKenzie R. Morgan essay...

A $500 fourth place award goes to Grace Price of Buncombe County for research on her immigrant ancestor who was Scots-Irish.  Grace Price essay...

Hannah Bennett of Cabarrus County received $500 for fifth place for her essay on the Quakers.  Hannah Bennett essay...