Transylvania County Schools celebrated high-achieving students, memorable educators and scholarship winners who were recognized during the 43rd annual TC Scholars Recognition Evening on Thursday night.
TCS Education Board Chair Tanya Dalton and board member Ruth Harris, began the ceremony by tracing the TC Scholars Recognition Evening back to its founding in 1983, when community leaders envisioned a way to honor the district’s highest-achieving students.
Transylvania County Scholars are graduating seniors who have achieved an overall GPA of 3.8 (weighted) and 3.5 (unweighted) while pursuing a demanding course of study. The underclassmen whom we honor this evening are the highest-ranking students in their classes. Their current academic records indicate they are likely to graduate as Transylvania County Scholars.
In her remarks, Dalton acknowledged the many pillars behind student success — the community that nurtures it, the families whose encouragement sustains it, and the teachers and school leaders whose dedication makes it possible. To the scholars themselves, she offered the Board of Education’s highest praise: “Outstanding achievement requires commitment and effort. Your presence here tonight proves that you have both.”
Students were recognized for their hard work and received special honors before the scholarship portion of the ceremony.
Scholarships
The Dorothy Bjerg Good Citizenship Scholarship is awarded in memory of Dorothy Silversteen Bjerg, the daughter of a family with a strong sense of community responsibility. This scholarship was established to encourage and recognize a young woman and a young man who have made outstanding contributions toward the improvement of the school and community. In addition to their citizenship, applicants must rank in the upper half of their class and have been accepted at an accredited junior or senior college. The recipient receives $750 per year, renewable for three years as long as the student remains enrolled in a program leading to a bachelor’s degree in an accredited college, for a total of $3,000. The recipients of this year’s scholarship was Brevard High School student, Benji Kessinger and Rosman High student, Tristin Powell.
Dedicated to cultivating a robust network of proficient and engaged pioneers, Vision Transylvania serves as a premier community leadership development initiative. This program represents a vital partnership between Blue Ridge Community College, Brevard College, Heart of Brevard, and the Brevard/Transylvania Chamber of Commerce. The VISION Leadership Award is bestowed in memory of Joe F. Tuttle, who served as VISION Director from 2001 to 2009, recognizing an exceptional student from each local high school. These recipients are celebrated not only for their future potential but for the significant impact they already demonstrate across their respective communities. Recipients of the Vision Transylvania Youth Leadership awards were
Representing Davidson River School Paisley Simpson
Representing Rosman High School: Serena Gurganious
Representing Brevard High School: Kenadie Dodson
Established in 2015 by Conserving Carolina, formerly the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, the Ruth Jones Scholarship serves as a lasting tribute to the late Ruth Elaine Jones, a dedicated alumna of Brevard High School and a lifelong resident of our county. This award emphasizes academic achievement but also includes participation in community service and extra-curricular activities that exemplify Ruth’s service to others. Recipients of the 2026 Ruth Jones Scholarship were Victoria Brown and Hope Cook.
Through the extraordinary generosity of Connestee Falls residents and local businesses, the Connestee Falls Student Scholarship Program (CFSSP) awarded a record-breaking $153,000 in scholarships to Transylvania County students — the largest single-year total in the program’s 39-year history.
This year’s awards were distinguished not only by their unprecedented total, but by an expanded, multi-tiered structure designed to broaden and deepen the program’s impact. For the first time in the program’s 39-year history, the CFSSP awarded four-year, full undergraduate scholarships.
2026 CFSSP SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
One-Year $2,500 Scholarships
McKayla Chambers
Janielynn Fowler
Addyson Houston
Ian Merritt
Addison Worley
One-Year $5,000 Scholarships
Brady Anderson
Aayanna Carter
Rubie Crider
Kennadie Dodson
Jack Gresham
Olivia Hankey
Kierra Hurst Hall
TJ Jordan
Sophia Kirk
Joshua Poche
Tristin Powell
Becca Queen
One-Year $10,000 Scholarships
Hope Cook
Emjay Dela Pena
Jack Friedman
Kell Arbogast
Kellan Rogers
Four-Year $40,000 Scholarships (Historic First)
In a first for the program’s 39-year history, the following three students will each receive $10,000 per year for all four years of their undergraduate education — a total commitment of $40,000 per student:
Victoria Brown
Paige Dinsdale
Sophia Miguel
The event ended with a special tradition. Each senior scholar nominated and recognized the teachers who were most memorable and made a lasting positive impact on them.
The evening celebrated not only the students’ achievements but the entire community ecosystem that makes them possible, from community members and local businesses whose contributions fueled a record-breaking night, to the parents, families, teachers, and school leaders who support scholars every day.
Transylvania County Schools looks forward to watching this year’s scholars thrive in their academic and future journeys.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 22, 2026
Media Contact: Alison Tyrer
25 Transylvania County High School Students Further Educational Goals with Connestee Falls Student Scholarship Awards
Three Students Win First-ever Multi-year Scholarships
For the 39th year in a row, Transylvania County high school students were the beneficiaries of the generosity of Connestee Falls residents and local businesses, as the Connestee Falls Student Scholarship Program (CFSSP) awarded scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 to 25 outstanding graduates. For the first time in the program’s history, three students will receive $10,000 per year for 4 years, based on their continuing eligibility.
“Working in partnership with Transylvania County High Schools, we determined that, thanks to our generous donors, the program has grown enough to broaden and deepen its impact,” said Kim McElwee, CFSSP board chair. “The Connestee Falls community is proud to support the county, its students, families and future in this way. Many of our past awardees have gone on to fulfilling careers here in Western North Carolina, and we look forward to helping this year’s awardees achieve their dreams.”
The Connestee Falls Student Scholarship Program supports students who are Transylvania County residents or who attend one of its institutions. Graduating seniors from Brevard High School, Rosman High School, or Davidson River School are eligible, as well as students at Blue Ridge Community College and Brevard College. The college student awards will be announced at a later date this year.
The CFSSP scholarship is more than financial support—it is an investment in potential, opportunity, and the power of education to change lives,” said Carrie Norris, Chief Academic Officer for Transylvania County Schools. “I am honored to work closely with this group and see their passion to impact our students. I am grateful beyond words.”
Celebrating its 39th year of providing college scholarships to Transylvania County students, the Connestee Falls Student Scholarship Program (CFSSP) helps county residents pursue their educational goals. Since its founding in 1987, when it raised $5,000 to fund one scholarship, the program has raised over $2.4 million and awarded more than 1,000 scholarships.
Last year, the program raised a record $260,000, a reflection of the generous heart within this community. From the personal generosity of resident donors to the steadfast commitment of local business sponsors, these funds give flight to dreams, open doors and change lives. Visit https://www.cfscholarships.org for more information about the Scholarship Program and investing in the future of Transylvania County students.