St. Joseph’s Hosts 2025 Scholarship Winners

July 13 was a special Sunday at St. Joseph’s. Six Vann-McCary Scholarships, for ,000 each, were awarded to six outstanding current and former graduates of Valley Head High School. This is the 19th year of the scholarship program.

The Vann-McCary Scholarship Fund was founded in 2006 by bequests from the estates of James A. Vann and Jim McCary. The fund provides scholarships ranging from $250-$1,000 to young people who apply and meet requirements. Winners of these awards are typically from Valley Head High School and Fort Payne High School. Recipients may be recent high school graduates, returning college students, or students pursuing other means of professional education.

Applicants were reviewed by the St. Joseph’s Scholarship Committee for academic excellence, community involvement, clarity of educational goals, and financial need. All six were awarded the maximum dollar amount due to the excellent qualifications revealed in each application.

Attending the St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church presentation were (L to R): The Reverend Keith Cook, Tom MacMichael, Vann-McCary Scholarship winners Makayla Renee Gilbert, Sadie Mae Young, Brant Stacy Smith, Kolby James Dupree, and Nathaniel Maier. Not pictured: Johnny Wayne Mann.

2025 Graduates of Valley Head High School:

Makayla Renee Gilbert – Makayla is from Mentone and plans to study nursing at Northeast Alabama Community College. She was active at Valley Head as a member of Beta Club, Science Club, Future Business Leaders of America, and others, plus she was a peer helper in school. She plans to earn a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree on her path to becoming a registered nurse.

Johnny Wayne Mann – Johnny lives in Valley Head and plans to attend Northeast Alabama Community College and major in business. Johnny was a member of Beta Club, Science Club, FBLA, and was also a peer helper among other activities. Johnny plans to eventually open his own business.

Sadie May Young – Sadie lives in Mentone and is interested in becoming a child psychologist. She wants to work as an elementary school counselor and will attend Northeast Alabama Community College this fall, majoring in psychology. Sadie was a member of Beta Club as its secretary and was also a member of Science Club, FBLA, and participated as a LYFT tutor.

Nathaniel Maier – Nathaniel lives in Valley Head and is interested in heavy equipment service and maintenance. He plans to attend the Nashville Auto-Diesel College, majoring in heavy equipment service technology. Nathaniel was on “A” Honor Roll and was a member of the National Technical Honor Society, among his many activities while in school. He would like to find a steady career in the heavy equipment industry.

2024 Graduates of Valley Head High School:

Brant Stacy Smith – This is the second year for Brant to receive the Vann-McCary Scholarship. Brant is from Valley Head and attends the University of North Alabama, where he majors in sports and recreation management. He plans to coach sports at the collegiate level and is interested in athletics management at the high school or college level.

Kolby James Dupree – Kolby hails from Fort Payne. This is his second year to receive the Vann-McCary Scholarship. He currently attends the University of Alabama, majoring in exercise science with a minor in biology. Kolby’s career goal is to become a certified physical therapist.