First row: Jillian Jackson, Megan Jarvis, Chesapeake Mayor Dalton Edge, Katrina Gonzales and Jordan Mellington. Second row: Christopher Owen, Allison Hastings, Siara Mitchell, Mishtwon Crute, TBA President John W. Ainslie Jr., Torey Wack, Katherine Becker, Kayla Llena, Tony Saghafi and Nichole Ehlers. Third row: Rebecca Warren, Christopher Cureton and Mario Fields.

TBA’s scholarship program, which is celebrating its 42nd anniversary this year, is two-pronged. Ten academic scholarships were awarded based on academic excellence, community service and financial need; and awards to six students, plus two to high schools, were presented in the Young Designers’ Scholarship Competition.

The following academic scholarship recipients will each receive a $7,500 four-year scholarship:

• Katherine Becker, a senior at Princess Anne High School, Virginia Beach, plans to study biology in the pre-medicine program at the University of Virginia.
• Mishtwon Crute, a senior at I.C. Norcom High School, Portsmouth, plans to pursue a pre-medicine course of study at Old Dominion University.
• Nichole Ehlers, a senior at Princess Anne High School, Virginia Beach, won the Tidewater Multifamily Housing Council Scholarship, given in honor of Officer Rodney Pocceschi of the Virginia Beach Police Department, and plans to study education at the University of Virginia.
• Mario Fields, a senior at Booker T. Washington High School, Norfolk, won the Stanley Waranch Scholarship and plans to study at James Madison University with the career goal of becoming a lawyer.
• Katrina Gonzales, a senior at Princess Anne High School, Virginia Beach, won the William J. Hearring Memorial Scholarship and plans to study biomedical engineering at the University of Virginia.
• Allison Hastings, a senior at Southampton Academy, Courtland, plans to pursue a pre-medicine course of study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
• Jillian Jackson, a senior at Wilson High School, Portsmouth, plans to study neuroscience and biomedical ethics at The College of William & Mary.
• Megan Jarvis, a senior at Hickory High School, Chesapeake, plans to embark on a pre-medicine course of study at Old Dominion University.
• Jordan Mellington, a senior at Arcadia High School, Oak Hall, won the Howard M. and Nancye C. Weisberg Scholarship and plans to study musical theater and communications at Christopher Newport University.
• Siara Mitchell, a senior at I.C. Norcom High School. Portsmouth, plans to study accounting at Norfolk State University.

The TBA scholarship recipients were selected by a nine-member selection committee that spent four weeks reviewing 234 applications.

In a competition befitting a builders association, entrants in the 2007 Young Designers’ Scholarship Competition were asked to design and draw homes in one of two categories: hand-drawn or computer-aided design. The criteria for this year’s entries was to design a 3,000-square-foot home on a one-acre lot with a water feature. A $1,500 first-place scholarship, $1,000 second-place scholarship and $500 third-place scholarship were awarded in each category. The competition’s five judges were local architect and building professionals.

The CAD winners are:

• Tony Saghafi of Landstown High School, Virginia Beach, won the $1,500 first-place award.
• Kayla Llena of Landstown High School, Virginia Beach, won the $1,000 second-place award.
• Christopher Cureton of Landstown High School, Virginia Beach, won the $500 third-place award.

The hand-drawn winners are:

• Torey Wack of Tallwood High School, Virginia Beach, won the $1,500 first-place award.
• Christopher Owen of Western Branch High School, Chesapeake, won the $1,000 second-place award.
• Rebecca Warren of Lakeland High School, Suffolk, won the $500 third-place award.

A $3,000 grant went to Western Branch High School, Chesapeake, for having the most entries, with 32, and Landstown High School, Virginia Beach, won the $1,000 second-place grant for its 16 entries. The grants, which can be used to purchase equipment or supplies for the winning school’s drafting/design program, are meant to increase interest in the design competition.

Attendees of the ceremony included Chesapeake Mayor Dalton Edge, City Councilman Cliff Hayes and Chesapeake School Board members Dr. Sheila Hill-Russ and Brenda Johnson. Also in attendance were Dr. Patricia Powers, Assistant Superintendent, Chesapeake Public Schools; Dr. Stephen Jones, Superintendent, Norfolk Public Schools; Dr. David Stuckwisch, Superintendent, Portsmouth Public Schools; Dr. Milton Liverman, Superintendent, Suffolk Public Schools and Dr. Hazel Jessee, Assistant Superintendent, Virginia Beach Public Schools.

Since 1965, the TBA Scholarship Foundation has provided more than $1.3 million in financial assistance to 363 students. TBA will continue to provide scholarship funding during the 2007-2008 academic year to 30 other past recipients.