Jackson Lake association scholarship opportunity


The window to apply for a scholarship sponsored by Jackson Lake Association is open from February 1st of each year.  Deadline to apply is April 15th annually.  This opportunity is open to high school Seniors in Butts, Jasper and Newton Counties.  Winners will be chosen in each county, and each scholarship awarded will be between $500 - $1500.

Requirements:  Completed application, counselor recommendation, teacher recommendation, and an essay on "Why you would be a good candidate for this scholarship"

JLA Scholarship Winners

The following students from Butts, Newton, and Jasper Counties each received a scholarship from the Jackson Lake Association. We are immensely proud of all the local students who applied.

Their dedication and hard work highlight the exceptional talent in our communities. This financial aid serves as our small contribution toward their educational pursuits, investing in the bright futures before them. We congratulate each recipient and encourage all students to continue striving for excellence in their academic and personal endeavors.​

2025 Winners

Submitted by: Linda Godin/Scholarship Director 
Jackson Lake Homeowners Association were pleased to present scholarships to all three counties that border the lake! We allot $1500 for each county and this year there were three $500 winners from each county. Following are our winners from each county: 

Butts County, Kaylynn Gentle – Kaylynn will be attending University of North Georgia majoring in Nursing. She is described as devout, spirited and strong willed! She has been taking dual enrollment courses at Southern Crescent Technical College. Kaylynn has consistently earned Honor  Roll status! She was an active member of HOSA, RD4L and Beta Club  where she participated in service projects that benefit the community. She  played Volleyball all 4 years and was named Defense Specialist of the Year  and a spot on the All-Region team. Her dedication to community service  is also reflected in her leadership as a worship leader at New Life Praise  Center which has taught her the importance of responsibility, collaboration and communication! We wish her all the best in her future endeavors! 

Butts County, Karma Williams – Karma will be attending Kennesaw State University majoring in Nursing. She has participated in Salvation Army Fundraising, making dog toys for Butts Mutts, Night to Shine, Senior Citizens Valentines dinner and Operation Shoebox. She has dedicated herself to education, leadership and community service. She hopes to become a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and be the first in her family to pursue college! We wish her all the success in her future endeavors! 

Butts County, Ryan Walker – Ryan will be attending Georgia Southern University majoring in Mechanical Engineering He has been a devoted volunteer to Jackson Lake Homeowners volunteering his time with lake clean ups, fireworks and the Poker run! He has challenged himself through engineering courses and real-world experience in a race car auto shop! He is described as a friendly, hard-working young man. He is a diligent student, kind-hearted and involved in many facets of his school community. We wish Ryan all the best in his future endeavors! 

Jasper County, Pressley Mize – Pressley plans to attend Georgia College and State University majoring in Finance. She has been a part of Jackson Lake since 2011- their home changed from a weekend retreat to full time residence! She loves the sense of community and connection. Pressley plans on becoming a commercial airline pilot while earning her degree in Finance. Finance challenges her to think critically, solve problems and develop strategies, much like aviation does! “The JLA’s mission of fostering community, education and communication reflects many of the values I strive to embody!” We truly wish Pressley all the best in her future endeavors! 

Jasper County, Peyton Mize – Peyton plans to attend Georgia College and State University and major in Exercise Science. She loves her “lake fam” which gives her a sense of stability! JLA focuses on education, communication and fellowship which Peyton embodies these principles in everything she does!  Her mother's battle with Cystic Fibrosis has shown how crucial exercise is for maintaining strength,  even those with chronic illnesses. She hopes to use her education not only to help athletes recover but  also to advocate for the benefits of movement for people facing health challenges. Peyton would love  to return as a mentor for young athletes, helping them understand the importance of injury prevention  and fitness! We are very happy to award Peyton with the JLA scholarship and wish her well in the future!

Jasper County, Savannah Gillman – Savannah will be attending Middle Georgia State University majoring in Mass Communication. Savannah’s family went through hurricane Helene and understood that living on the lake is not all just fun and games but hard work too! Even after all the lake flooding, ruination of the house – she still wouldn’t trade living on the lake for anything! Savannah was the editor of the Piedmont Academy yearbook. Her academic advisor says she is an exemplary student and wholeheartedly recommends her for any leadership opportunities! We wish Savannah all the best in her future endeavors! 

Newton County, Shelby Moore – Shelby has been accepted to Abraham Baldwin Agricultural and plans on majoring in Agricultural Education.  She is ranked as one of Eastside’s Top Ten students and is a FFA State degree recipient. Shelby has held a plethora of positions including Eastside FFA officer, Eastside Ego Eagles Officer, among many others! She has the highest GPA Award on Varsity Competition Cheer, dual enrollment and lettered in Academics while also working at Mansfield Marketplace! The Eco Eagles is an environmental sustainability club, and she has participated in numerous clean up events, including parks, rivers, lakes and other community spaces. She is an organized, compassionate and determined individual! We have high hopes that Shelby will succeed in every avenue of life! 

Newton County, Teron Whylie – Teron will be attending Savannah State University planning on getting a bachelor's degree in business administration. He has a passion for photography and used his skills at various high school events and sporting events including basketball, track, baseball and volleyball. Teron also volunteered at the Special Olympics as a buddy! He has a passion for entrepreneurship and plans on using his photography skills to help promote a positive image for other businesses. He sincerely wants to make a difference in other peoples’ lives! Good Luck Teron! 

Newton County, Hartlee Allen – Hartlee has been accepted to the University of Oklahoma and will be majoring in Kinesiology/Exercise Science. She was a member of the District Honor Chorus, lettered as a Flagline member and was Flagline Rookie of the Year, National Honor Society, lettered as a Chorus member, just to name a few! Very impressive!  She also attended the Troy University Band Leadership and UGA Redcoat Auxiliary! She marched in the 2023 National Cherry Blossom Parade in Washington D.C. and the New York St. Patrick’s Day Parade! We are confident she will be a huge success in her future endeavors! 
The 2024 Winners:
Karalyn Morgan – Karalyn is graduating from Jackson High School. She plans on attending Truett McConnell University where she will major in Criminal Justice/Forensic Science. She has stayed in the top 10% academically while being involved in extracurricular activities such as soccer, volleyball, RD4L   Leadership Team, National Honor Society, Beta Club and Family, Career Community Leaders of America. She volunteered as a coach for 12U soccer team which is a valuable time commitment for these young athletes! We wish Karalyn all the success in her future!

Emily Atkinson – Emily is graduating from Jackson High School. She plans on attending Georgia College and State University majoring in Nursing. Emily is a Georgia Merit student and Soccer Scholar Athlete participating in Soccer. She participated in a Dual Enrollment program with Gordon State College, and working part-time at T&K Dance Studios. She was a team leader in River of Life and participates in a Healthcare Pathway where she was certified in CPR, Jaws of Life tools, and ride-along with Butts County EMS. We wish Emily all the success in her future endeavors.
Tianna Maffett – Tianna is graduating from Alcoy High School. She plans on attending Fort Valley State and majoring in Nursing. She has participated in many community service projects such as Nursing home CNA helper, Food Can Drive, Rivers Alive Cleanup, and monthly food distributions through Springfield Baptist Church. Tianna has been taking Dual enrollment classes at Georgia Piedmont Technical College. She plans on working as a CAN during the summer to gain experience! Her pediatrician gave her the motto to live by – “We could do anything we wanted; you just have to give back to the community.” We wish her all the success!

Giovanni Wilson –Giovanni is graduating from Alcovy High School. He plans to attend Clark Atlanta /Morehouse or Savannah State majoring in Computer Science/Computer Engineering. He has very high academic achievements, great leadership qualities and commitment to community service. Giovanni was a fulltime football player and a Building Strong men member. He has volunteered at the Newton County Special Olympics, counseling peers, and organizing community events. We wish him all the success in his future journey!

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Brody Bush – Brody is graduating from Piedmont Academy. He has been accepted to the University of Florida and will major in Architecture! Brody is Salutatorian of his class! He has been active in Soccer, Literary Team, and Jackson United Methodist Youth group, among others. He has volunteered with
Butts County Animal Control, JUMC mission trips, and Lend-A-Paw day at Piedmont. Brody has an unwavering commitment to academic success and a strong work ethic! All the community service he was involved in equipped him with valuable leadership, teamwork, and organizational skills. He has a
positive attitude and a wonderfully engaging personality which helps everyone around him stay positive and works efficiently! He has a belief in social responsibility which will serve him well in the future! Congratulations Brody!
Breanna Fowler – Breanna is graduating from Jasper County High School. She has been a member of Health Occupation Students of America and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Breanna played Soccer, and was awarded 1 st and 2 nd place at the JCHS Technology Fair. She is an active member of her church
and volunteers at her local dog shelter! Breanna plans to attend Augusta University to pursue a degree in Kinesiology, a Physical Therapy pathway. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors! 

James Williams Jr. – James is graduating from Jasper County High School. He plans to attend Athens Technical College where he will major in Biotechnology. He has been an active member in FBLA, Beta Club, FCA, Student Council, and HOSA. James has volunteered in countless community services, Beta
Help Teachers, Singing at his local Nursing home, Food Drive, School Beautification, just to name a few! One day James looks forward to owning his own Biotech company! We wish him all the success in the future!

William Garvin – William is graduating from Jasper County High School. He plans to attend University of North Georgia where he will pursue a Bachelors of Science degree in Secondary Education. He plans to attend seminary to pursue ministry. William is a Georgia Merit Scholar, awarded many Beta State and
National convention competition placements and Excellence in Spanish! His community projects include Jasper County Food Bank, Voter Registration Drive, Vacation Bible School, and assistant coaching at the recreation department. He also worked with Unified Partner serving Special needs students. We wish
William all the success in his future endeavors!

Ma’Kariya James – Ma’Kariya is graduating from Newton High School. She plans to attend Fort Valley State University majoring in Chemistry-Pre-Med. Ma’Kariya has participated in many community activities, which include: Preparing Health Bags for foster children, Community Blood drives, Special
Olympics, Rainbow Shelter and more. She has “perseverance to overcome presenting obstacles and resilience to withstand adversities.” She overcame her personal challenges by becoming active in her community and volunteering. We wish her all the best as she continues to make changes in her
community for the betterment of our future and the entire community!
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