New Leaf Market Memorial Scholarships
Every year two $1,000 memorial scholarships are awarded to local residents. Both scholarships are open to all Tallahassee residents. The scholarship committee may give special consideration to New Leaf Market owners and employees. Selection of scholarship recipients is based on financial need, academic accomplishment, community involvement, and how the applicant intends to use his/her education to benefit the community. Previous applicants and recipients may reapply.
The New Leaf Market - Matthew Tansey Memorial Scholarship, celebrating its 13th year, is offered to an individual enrolled in a health, healing or nutrition program.
The New Leaf Market - Bryce Buchanan Memorial Scholarship goes to an individual enrolled in an art program.
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Congratulations 2011 Scholarship Winners.
By Denise Tansey, Scholarship Committee
Every year New Leaf Market awards two $1,000 scholarships: One or an individual enrolled in a program related to the arts, and the other for someone enrolled in a program related to health, healing and nutrition.
This year’s winner of the New Leaf Market-Bryce Buchanan Memorial Scholarship for the arts is awarded to Crimson Roe, who will graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance in December at FSU. She is a performer, choreographer, a student leader and an active volunteer. She is spending this summer as a counselor at a dance camp for children in New York City where she will stay and finish her last semester as part of the FSU in NYC program. Crimson has previously shared her talent with the Tallahassee Little Theatre, Quincy Music Theatre, High Springs Community Playhouse, Gainesville Community Playhouse and Danscompany of Gainesville. She has served as President on the Student Advisory Council for FSU’s School of Dance.
Crimson plans to perform in theatre, film, or company work. She hopes to be a motivational speaker and role model for younger folks who are interested in the arts, and to use her skills to expose the underprivileged to dance, theatre and music.
“Through performing, I feel the most completed and satisfied. There are no words to explain the love I have for this art,” says Crimson. “I want to share stories of how arts was my bright light when there was a dark path in my life ... In times of hardship, the arts work as a wonderful value of expression and escape. Being able to share my passion and spread the joy of performing would be such a blessing.”
We wish Crimson the best of luck in a very competitive field.
The winner for the New Leaf Market-Matthew Tansey Memorial Scholarship for health, healing and nutrition is Shermeeka Hogans-Mathews. Originally from Bristol, Florida, Shermeeka began in the Florida State University College of Medicine in May. She is married, a mother of three, and was teaching at West Gadsden High School. She also volunteers at her church as bookkeeper, assistant youth choir director, substitute Sunday school teacher, church publicist, and assistant secretary to the pastor. In the past she had her own academic consulting and tutoring service. She has a B.S. in Biological Sciences from FSU and a Masters in Medical Science from the USF. She was listed on the Who’s Who Among America’s Junior Colleges (2003) for her many involvements. She spent a summer at the Duke Biomedical Science Institute taking prep courses in organic chemistry and physics, and shadowing physicians. Shermeeka also gained a wealth of clinical experience during her years of employment at Thagard Student Health Center.
Shermeeka would like to specialize in family medicine, and incorporate preventive medicine in her daily practice. It has been a long road for her, but she feels her hard work is finally paying off.
She explains that she was once an underserved patient, and has walked in the shoes of many of the patients she now seeks to serve. Some patients get turned away, even if they are in pain, when the health center does not accept Medicaid.
Shermeeka believes that, “Witnessing many medical afflictions, despair, hope, and faith within my family and my community … has helped solidify my decision to pursue medicine. I have witnessed for far too long the medical decline of the poor, uninsured, or misinformed in underserved communities.”
We wish Shermeeka good luck on the dedication required through the next six to eight years in medical school and residency with specialization in family practice.
Crimson Roe |
Shermeeka Hogans Matthews |
