THS Alumni Give out Three Scholarships, Including New Cadenhead Citizenship Award

On Wednesday, the Troup High School Alumni Association presented scholarships to three THS students from this year’s senior class and introduced a new scholarship.

Since 2017, the Troup High Alumni Association has given out the Walter Earl Thompson Memorial Scholarship to two THS students in its pursuit of help the students and faculty of their beloved alma mater.

Walter “Big Earl” Thompson was a graduate of Troup High School and a former Troup County Sheriff’s Deputy. After Thompson passed away due to illness, he left behind a four-month-old daughter. Many years later, his daughter, Jennifer Thompson, became the first ever recipient of the Walter Earl Thompson Scholarship.

Since then the Troup High Alumni Association has provided $1,000 scholarships to two worthy THS seniors each year.

The two Walter Earl Thompson Scholarships winners selected this year are: Addison Marie Sapp and Jennifer Allyson Albertson.

Addison Marie Sapp plans to attend Georgia Southern University in order to pursue a degree in Early Childhood Education. Jennifer Allyson Albertson will attend Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tiifton, GA. She plans to major in Animal Science in order to become a large animal veterinarian.

In addition to the Walter Thompson Scholarships, the THS Alumni Association added a new scholarship to honor of Troup County Commissioner Ellis Cadenhead.

The new Ellis P. Cadenhead Citizenship Award Scholarship was given out in recognition of Commissioner Cadenhead, who founded the THS Alumni Association. Cadenhead is currently still and active member of the alumni association and a current Troup County Commissioner for District 2.

THS Alumni Association Member Hilda Railey advised that the group chose to honor Cadenhead now, rather than posthumously.

Cadenhead Citizenship Scholarship is given out to a THS senior for their civic mindedness and community service. The first recipient of the Ellis P. Cadenhead Citizenship Award Scholarship was awarded to Sarah Elizabeth Blanks.

Blanks plans to attend the University of Georgia, where she will major in Communication Sciences and Disorders to become a speech pathologist.

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Tommy Murphy
Staff Writer