The Southern Perry County Academic Endowment Fund (SPCAEF) was established in 1987 with the purpose of creating resources to promote learning experiences for the residents of the Southern Local School District.
SPCAEF, in partnership with the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, provides scholarships and mini-grants to promote academic excellence and sponsor enrichment opportunities for Southern Local School District students and residents.
Scholarship and grant applications
Applications for 2026 scholarships and grants closed on Friday, March 6.
2026 scholarship and grant recipients
Ben and Alyce Shaver Scholarship
Hallie West
Briggs Family Scholarship
Zander Bice
Maddox Bolyard
Annabelle Colvin
Bryce Dorsey
Cameryn O’Nail
Heather West
Bruce & Dolores Hannah Scholarship
Zander Bice
Catherine Blankenship Scholarship
Annabelle Colvin
Brenna Ferguson
Hannah Stover
Memarie Taylor
Charlene Joseph Scholarship
Cameryn O’Nail
Emma Starlin
Commander Lambert Scholarship
Bryce Dorsey
Corning Alumni Association Scholarship
Maddox Bolyard
Donald & Catherine Palmer Scholarship
Mary Palmer
Jack and Clara Reho Scholarship
Emma Starlin
Janice E. Norris Memorial Scholarship
Bryce Dorsey
Heather West
Janet Arkley Legacy Scholarship
Courtney Glenaman
Jesse, Olema & Ralph Drake Scholarship
Kirstyn Adams
Zander Bice
Maddox Bolyard
Annabelle Colvin
Bryce Dorsey
Brenna Ferguson
Courtney Glenaman
Brynley Needham
Cameryn O’Nail
Mary Palmer
Emma Starlin
Hanna Stover
Shelby Stover
Ava Strawn
Memarie Taylor
Hallie West
Heather West
Jim and Vicki Palmer Legacy Scholarship
Mary Palmer
John and Elsie Exenkemper Scholarship
Kirstyn Adams
Joseph & Marie Lichtenstein Scholarship
Brynley Needham
Murray & Lulu Brown Scholarship
Heather West
Paul & Charlotte Hope Scholarship
Brenna Ferguson
Shelby Stover
Robert Woodruff and Charles & Elizabeth Woodruff Scholarship
Cameryn O’Nail
Shawnee Alumni Association Scholarship
Courtney Glenaman
Vincent & Gene Hope Scholarship
Shelby Stover
William & Frances Dunlap Scholarship
Heather West
Willard and Frances Kay Burns Legacy Scholarship
Bryce Dorsey
Mary Palmer
- Little Cities of Black Diamonds received a grant from the Hazel Post Fisher Community Fund to support student tours of sites on the Little Cities 1787 Trail.
- Miller High School Band Boosters received grants from the Blake Underwood Student Learning Grant Fund and the Hazel Post Fisher Community Fund to purchase a bass drum for the marching band.
- New Straitsville Public Library received a grant from the Bob and Ruth Holland Community Fund to sponsor a field trip to Ash Cave as part of the Small Town Adventures Summer Camp.
- Southern Local Schools received funding for four programs:
- A grant from the Southern Perry County Academic Endowment Fund to support the Feeding the Falcons school-based food pantry
- A grant from the Southern Perry County Academic Endowment Fund to purchase items to incentivize and reward Miller High School students for their academics, attendance and behavior
- A grant from the Bob and Ruth Holland Community Fund to purchase equipment for the weight room
- Grants from the Bob and Ruth Holland Community Fund, the Hazel Post Fisher Community Fund and the Southern Perry County Academic Endowment Fund to support the development of a structured sensory hallway leading to the speech therapy room at Millcreek Elementary
SPCAEF family of funds
SPCAEF includes more than 25 funds supporting community grants and scholarships:
- Ben and Alyce Shaver Scholarship Fund
- Blake Underwood Student Learning Grant Fund
- Bob and Ruth Holland Community Fund
- Briggs Family Scholarship Fund
- Bruce and Delores Hannah Scholarship Fund
- Catherine Blankenship Scholarship Fund
- Charlene Joseph Scholarship Fund
- Commander Lambert Scholarship Fund
- Corning Alumni Association Scholarship
- Donald and Catherine Palmer Scholarship Fund
- Hazel Post Fisher Community Fund
- Jack and Clara Reho Scholarship Fund
- Janet Arkley Legacy Scholarship
- Janice E. Norris Memorial Scholarship Fund
- Jesse, Olema and Ralph Drake Scholarship Fund
- Jim and Vicki Palmer Legacy Scholarship Fund
- John and Elsie Exenkemper Scholarship Fund
- Joseph and Marie Lichtenstein Scholarship Fund
- Murray and Lulu Brown Scholarship Fund
- Paul and Charlotte Hope Scholarship Fund
- Robert Woodruff and Charles & Elizabeth Woodruff Scholarship Fund
- Shawnee Alumni Association Scholarship Fund
- Southern Perry County Academic Endowment Fund
- Vincent and Gene Hope Scholarship Fund
- Willard and France Kay Burns Legacy Scholarship Fund
- William and Frances Dunlap Scholarship Fund
SPCAEF advisory committee
Scholarship and grant awards are determined by the advisory committee of the Southern Perry County Academic Endowment Fund. Committee members are:
- Angie Plant, president
- Lynann Bolyard
- Tony Davis
- Missy Jones
- Keith Maxwell
- James Palmer
- Sarah Puckett
- Albert Siemer
- John Winnenberg
Support the Southern Perry County Academic Endowment Fund
Gifts to the Southern Perry County Academic Endowment Fund are tax-deductible and can be made in many ways, including cash, bequests, stock, real estate, royalties, insurance beneficiaries and qualified charitable distributions from IRAs.
To mail your donation, please designate the fund and mail to the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, 35 Public Square, Nelsonville, OH 45764.
Donations can be made online by designating SPCAEF – Southern Perry County Academic Endowment Fund when donating.