Rotary Club of Jacksonville has recognized the accomplishments of three high school students by providing them with college scholarships.
The awards were made as part of the Rotary Club’s scholarship program, which provided one $1,000 college scholarship in memory of Staff Sgt. Matthew Weikert and two $2,000 Jacksonville Rotary Scholarships.
Scholarship recipients are Greta Bryson-Adams, Emma Guidish and Landon Gilmore.
Bryson-Adams is a Jacksonville High School graduate. She was awarded a $2,000 Jacksonville Rotary Scholarship. She is a Crimson Mentor, a member of National Honor Society, and volunteers at her dance school, The Salvation Army and the animal shelter. She views volunteering as a responsibility and opportunity to support others. She values giving her time to strengthen her community and help those in need. She has always been fascinated by how medicine works and how access to medication can change a community. Her goal is to become a pharmacist.
Guidish is a Jacksonville High School graduate. She was awarded a $2,000 Jacksonville Rotary Scholarship. She said she learned from her grandmother that volunteering isn’t something you have to do, but rather something you get to do. She has adopted this mindset and engaged with groups such as United Way, Jacksonville Area Community Food Center, Student Body Government, National Honor Society, National English Honor Society, DECA, Crimson Mentors, JHS Volleyball, and JHS Soccer. Her leadership includes student body president, JHS DECA vice president, volleyball captain, soccer captain and being a Crimson Mentor. She is planning to get her doctorate in pharmacy.
Gilmore is a graduate of North Greene High School. He has been awarded the Staff Sgt. Matthew Weikert Scholarship. Gilmore participated in football, trap shooting and bass fishing. He is the 2026 class vice president. He volunteers through the White Hall and Greene County communities. He plans to study criminal justice to ultimately become a police officer.
The Staff Sgt. Matthew Weikert scholarship is awarded in honor of SSG Matthew Weikert of Jacksonville, who died in 2010 while serving in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan. Weikert was a graduate of Jacksonville High School and known for his leadership and his attitude of service above self. He served several tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. The scholarship in his honor strives to assist those candidates pursuing a trade or vocation through a vocational school, technical school, community college or other certificate program.
Scholarship Committee Chair Laurie Evans presented the awards during the club’s May 22 meeting.
“Our goal for these scholarships is to assist future leaders as they take the next step toward achieving their academic goals. Our scholarship recipients are very accomplished young people, and we look forward to seeing what they achieve in the future,” Rotary Club President Kelly Pool said.