Shallotte, NC – FOCUS Broadband has awarded ten area high school seniors with $2,000 scholarships each. Scholarships are available to high school seniors living in any of FOCUS Broadband’s service areas. This year, FOCUS Broadband added an additional five scholarships to their program to reflect the company’s recent expansion in southeastern North Carolina. Selection was based on academics, involvement in school and community activities, and interview skills.

The 2023 FOCUS Broadband Scholarship Recipients are as follows:

• Brianna Bines, South Brunswick High School – Bines, daughter of Tunaisha Tooley and Gary Bines of Bolivia, plans to attend the University of North Carolina A&T to study nursing.
• Colt Blackmon, South Columbus High School – Blackmon is the son of Charley Blackmon and the late Rozier Allen Blackmon of Whiteville and will major in music education at Western Carolina University.
• Zoey Boswell, West Brunswick High School – Boswell, granddaughter of Irene and Floyd Inman of Ocean Isle Beach, plans to study dental hygiene.
• Madeline Fischer, North Brunswick High School – Fischer is the daughter of Todd and Deb Fischer of Leland and plans to study nursing at a four-year university in the fall.
• John Harvey Gore, South Columbus High School – Gore, son of Rifton and Abby Gore of Tabor City, will attend Southeastern Community College before transferring to a four-year university to study biology.
• Kellyn Jarvis, West Columbus High School – Jarvis is the daughter of Kelly and Shannon Jarvis of Fair Bluff and plans to major in exercise science and pre-occupational therapy at Campbell University.
• Haylee Johnson, Brunswick County Early College High School – Johnson is the daughter of Cammy and Jeff Johnson of Supply. Johnson will attend Cape Fear Community College to study dental hygiene.
• Trisha Martinez-Aguilar, Columbus Career and Academy – Martinez-Aguilar is the daughter of Albino Martinez of Tabor City. Martinez-Aguilar will attend the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in the fall where she’ll major in marketing.
• Margie Steve, Brunswick County Early College High School – Steve is the daughter of Bobbie and John Steve of Shallotte. She is planning to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to study medicine.
• Lori White, Brunswick County Early College High School – White is the daughter of James and Sondra White of Ash. She plans to major in psychology at North Carolina State University.

“FOCUS Broadband is excited to assist more students this year in furthering their education,” said Keith Holden, FOCUS Broadband CEO. “These recipients are incredibly bright and talented young adults, and we look forward to seeing all of the great things they will accomplish.” Since the program’s inception in 2002, FOCUS Broadband has awarded $143,000 to 86 students. For more information on FOCUS Broadband’s scholarship program, visit www.focusbroadband.com/scholarships.