NFC Foundation Begins Taylor County Operation Outreach with High School Visits
High School Seniors Justin Padgett and Toni Barkman Win Top Scholarship Awards
MADISON, FL (March 10, 2021) - The North Florida College Foundation began a focused outreach initiative in Taylor County in February and is already seeing a positive impact. Representatives from the NFC Foundation and Recruitment Office hit the road to share information about scholarships and learning opportunities with more than 100 Taylor County high school seniors so far. With the NFC Foundation’s High School Senior Scholarship deadline of March 30 quickly approaching, the timing couldn’t be better.
“We are so proud to serve Taylor County and want to be sure that our high school seniors know that NFC is a great next step,” said Judy Lundell, Director of Resource Development and the NFC Foundation. “We want to help all high school seniors in our service area understand the steps to applying for scholarships, let them know that they have options, and encourage them to reach out to us if they need help or have questions.”
On Feb. 23 the NFC Foundation kicked off its Taylor County Operation Outreach project with a visit to Point of Grace Christian in Perry. The NFC Foundation provided snacks, trivia, prizes and a wealth of information about scholarships and NFC programs. Justin Padgett, a senior at Point of Grace Christian, won a full two-year scholarship to NFC during the event.
According to his mother Tanya Padgett, the scholarship opened a path for Justin to continue his education after high school. “Thank you so much for giving him this opportunity,” said Tanya Padgett of her son’s scholarship award. “This opened so many more doors for him, doors with careers available that he never even dreamed of until now. Thank you!”
The scholarship drawing was random. Principal Randy Maubach drew the winning name from an envelope with all the seniors’ names included.
The NFC Foundation next visited Taylor County High School on Feb. 25 and March 4 to share information and award another lucky Taylor County senior with a full two-year scholarship. On Feb. 25, seniors met with NFC representatives in the TCHS library. The NFC Foundation provided potato chips with convenient QR codes for students to access scholarship information on the NFC website (www.nfc.edu/foundation-giving/scholarships).
"The information shared today was very helpful and I am glad that NFC took the time to come to our school,” said TCHS senior Hope Murphy. “I feel it will help many people."
On March 4, NFC Foundation representatives Judy Lundell and Annabelle Scott and NFC Recruiter Windy Gamble returned to TCHS, along with NFC Foundation Board of Directors members Scott Mixon and Mark Wiggins, to take part in a TCHS senior class assembly. All TCHS seniors were entered into an NFC scholarship drawing, with the winning name randomly selected at the assembly. Winning the grand prize scholarship was TCHS senior Toni Barkman. Several seniors also got to spin the NFC Foundation’s prize wheel with awards such as an NFC backpack, NFC t-shirt and more.
"Our students are very fortunate to have such a great institution in North Florida College in our own backyard,” said Mark Wiggins, Taylor County Tax Collector and a member of the NFC Foundation Board of Directors representing Taylor County. “The opportunity to get a quality education, whether in a degree or a certification from NFC is priceless. I have been very impressed with NFC reaching out to their surrounding communities to offer full scholarships and informing our students what is available to them through NFC."
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “each level of education you complete may help you develop more skills, give you access to higher paying occupations, and signal that you’re able to follow through on important tasks, such as planning ahead and meeting deadlines, that employers value.”
“It is a pleasure to serve on a board that is devoted to the mission of North Florida College, providing continuing education opportunities for our Taylor County students that will prepare them for their future,” said Scott Mixon, Public Affairs Manager for Georgia-Pacific’s Foley Cellulose and a member of the NFC Foundation Board of Directors representing Taylor County. “On behalf of Georgia-Pacific, I would like to express our appreciation to Judy Lundell and the NFC Foundation team for their tireless effort on behalf of our students in Taylor County and for bringing some fun to the effort with Taylor County Operation Outreach.”
The NFC Foundation is working to help as many students as possible in Taylor County and the NFC service district afford college. The deadline to apply for High School Senior Scholarships is March 30. The deadline to apply for Summer Term 2021 scholarships is April 28. For more information, visit www.nfc.edu/foundation-giving/scholarships or contact the NFC Foundation directly at 850-973-9414 or foundation@nfc.edu.
