The Suffolk Education Foundation has announced the recipients of its 2016 college scholarships.

This year, the foundation awarded $18,500 to help 13 local high school graduates continue their education. Since 1993, the foundation has committed more than $340,000 in college scholarships for local high school students.

The three recipients of the annual Jean and Harry L. Cross Jr. Endowment Scholarship were Bryan Rice of Nansemond River High School, Brianna Lynch of Lakeland High School and Arielle Reyes of King’s Fork High School.

Rice plans to study mechanical engineering at Old Dominion University. Lynch will study pre-med biology at Virginia Commonwealth University. Reyes will attend the University of Virginia and focus on human biology.

The Cross family established this $1,500 scholarship to honor their father, a Suffolk realtor who served on the School Board.

The three recipients of the annual Helen and Ned Ferguson Endowment Scholarship were Dixie Cox of Nansemond River High School, Jennifer Rockwell of Lakeland High School, and Emma Taylor-Fishwick of King’s Fork High School.

Cox will study mechanical engineering at Virginia Tech. Rockwell plans to attend Virginia Tech to study computer science. Taylor-Fishwick will be attending the University of Virginia to study engineering.

The Ferguson family established this $1,500 scholarship to honor their father, a local lawyer and community leader.

Emily Hunter of Nansemond River High School received the Suffolk Education Foundation’s Future Educators Scholarship. This $1,500 scholarship is designed to assist students interested in careers in education. Hunter will attend Tidewater Community College with plans to become a special education teacher.

Ariel Salerno of Lakeland High School received the Wilburn Wilson – Future Educators Scholarship. Salerno will study secondary science education at Randolph-Macon College. The family established this scholarship to honor Wilburn Wilson, a long-time Suffolk Public Schools teacher.

Additionally, the foundation administers endowed scholarships for the families and friends of E. Talmadge Darden, Gertrude B. Pruden, the Hon. G. Blair Harry, and Ellis E. Temple, Sr.

Brian Strong of King’s Fork High School received the $1,000 E. Talmadge Darden Memorial Scholarship. He will be studying music education at Virginia State University.

The family and friends of Darden established this scholarship in memory of this former King’s Fork Middle School principal to help students who had attended King’s Fork Middle School and who plan to major in music, culinary arts, or education.

Christopher DeFreeuw of Lakeland High School received the $1,500 Gertrude B. Pruden Family Arts Scholarship. He will attend Bridgewater College to study music education.

The Pruden family established this scholarship in memory of this local teacher who loved music, art, and drama.

Johnny Mayer III and Jaclyn Mounie, both of Nansemond River High School, received the G. Blair Harry Memorial Scholarship Awards. Mayer will attend George Mason University to study computer science and play baseball. Mounie is headed to Towson University to exercise science and play softball.

The Harry family established this $1,500 scholarship to honor their father, a well-known Suffolk lawyer and judge who passed away in 2005. This scholarship is earmarked for college-bound student athletes.

Kiera Rountree of Lakeland High School received the Ellis E. Temple Sr. Memorial Scholarship. She will attend Hampton University to prepare for a career in pharmacy.

The Temple family established the Ellis E. Temple Sr. Memorial Scholarship in 2009 to help a college-bound student athlete and school leader at Lakeland High School. This $1,000 was first awarded in 2013. Ellis Temple was a well-known parent advocate and president of the Suffolk PTA Council.

Awards are made following an application process and review by a committee from the Suffolk Education Foundation’s board of directors. Selection criteria include academic achievement, community/school service, and future education and career goals.