St. Joseph’s on-the-Mountain Celebrates Vann McCary Scholarship Winners

The Vann McCary Scholarship fund was established by two St. Joseph’s families with a deep commitment to the growth and prosperity of Mentone and the surrounding area, including Valley Head and Fort Payne. This fund has been making scholarships available for many years and fits nicely with the mission of St. Joseph’s — to serve and support the community in ways that enrich residents of all ages. These scholarships are especially needed, given the high cost of college education.

Congratulations to the four winners of this year’s scholarships, which total $4,000. All students are enrolled in an accredited institution of higher education.

The winners are:

Arabella Marie Stokes — Arabella is a 2024 graduate of Valley Head High School. She plans to study marine biology at Northeast Alabama Community College. Arabella also received a loyalty scholarship at Northeast and won the DAR Good Citizenship Award. She is a resident of Mentone. This will be her freshman year at Northeast. Arabella will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

Emma Payton Harrison — Emma is a 2023 graduate of Valley Head High School and has completed one year of study at The University of Alabama. She is currently a student manager for the Crimson Tide basketball team. Emma plans to become an athletic trainer for college-level sports teams. Her course of study is kinesiology. Emma says she feels strongly that the blessing of her education should be used to make a difference in the lives of those around her. This will be her second year to receive the scholarship. Her award this year is $1,000.

Brant Stacy Smith — Brant is a 2024 graduate of Valley Head High School. He dreams of working in the field of aerospace engineering. Brant will attend the University of North Alabama in the fall, majoring in engineering. He is an Eagle Scout (class of 2021) and was a delegate to the American Legion Alabama Boys State and a Top Graduate in the Fire Science Program. This will be his first year in receipt of the scholarship, in the amount of $1,000.

Kolby James Dupree — Kolby is a 2024 graduate of Valley Head High School, where he played varsity basketball and varsity golf. He was a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and was ranked number one in his senior class, with a GPA of 4.2. Kolby’s family always taught him to value education, and his record shows he did! He plans to become an athletic trainer or a physical therapist. Kolby will major in physical therapy and athletic training while minoring in business and marketing at Northeast Alabama Community College. This will be Kolby’s first year to receive the scholarship, in the amount of $1,000.