Four Beaufort County seniors will have a little extra funding for college next year, thanks to the Optimist Club of Washington. Washington High School seniors Trey Main, Lacie Anglim and Phillip Peaden, along with Southside High School senior Kyle White, were honored with dinner and scholarships at Tuesday night’s Optimist Club banquet at Woodmen of the World.
Earlier this year, Optimist Club President Patty Peebles contacted local high schools, telling administrators about the four $1,500 scholarships available. Of the Beaufort County high schools, including private schools, 24 essays were received by the Optimists — the four written by the scholarship winners best exemplified how they used the Optimist Club Creed in their daily lives.
“By striving to be a positive role model, I build a mindset that every dream can be achieved. Ultimately that is what the Optimist Club creed is about — living out your life in a positive way and trying your best to succeed at everything you do,” wrote Lacie Anglim. Anglim received the Earl Mitchell scholarship, named in memory of the member instrumental in bringing Optimist Club football and soccer to Washington. Anglim is active in sports and volunteering with Special Olympics, as an Optimist Club referee and with her church. She will attend East Carolina University in the fall and plans to be a teacher.
Winner of the Linley Gibbs Honorary Scholarship was Trey Main, who wrote in his essay, “The Optimist Club creed is a very uplifting code to live by and I find many of the ideals is presents reflect those of boy scouting.” An Eagle Scout, drummer for First Methodist Church’s contemporary worship and participant in WHS tennis, swimming, wrestling, track and soccer, Main will attend ECU and plans to study sports medicine.
“It’s a really big honor and I’m glad I can represent my family … and the sports I’ve played,” Trey said.
Kyle White was winner of the Optimist Club Youth Appreciation award. White will graduate at the top of his class at Southside and plans to study mathematics at Campbell University. Member of Future Farmers of America, the Math Club and Honor Society, White said he plans to follow in his father’s — Sean White, Southside math teacher and athletics director—footsteps.
“I pretty much want his job,” Kyle said.
Phillip Peaden, also a recipient of the Optimist Club Youth Appreciation award, is a volunteer fire fighter who plans to go into law enforcement after he get a degree in criminal justice at William Peace University. An Optimist Club soccer player from the age of 4, Peaden intends to play soccer for William Peace and said he’ll use his scholarship money “any way possible to put it towards college.”
The scholarship winners were chosen by a panel of judges from outside Beaufort County to ensure the judges knew none of the applicants.
“We look at their volunteerism and community service, which all of these (students) do exceptionally well. … I’d give 20 of them (scholarships) if I had the money,” Peebles laughed.