BENTONVILLE — Michelle McCollum and Sarah Galloway, longtime friends and members of the Bentonville High School class of 2013, are set to follow similar paths.
Both received prestigious scholarships to attend military schools. McCollum is headed to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. Galloway will attend the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y.
McCollum and Galloway were two of the top three scholarship earners in their class. The other was Justin Reed, who also is attending the Naval Academy. The three students’ scholarships are worth a combined $1,250,000.
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Big Money
The top scholarship earners from the Bentonville High School class of 2013:
• Michelle McCollum, U.S. Naval Academy, $425,000
• Justin Reed, U.S. Naval Academy, $425,000
• Sarah Galloway, U.S. Military Academy, $400,000
• Melissa Perlman, Babson College, $174,080
• Jordan Sheppard, Texas Christian University, $146,000
• Jorge Bradic, University of Arizona, $120,000
• Abby Terlouw, University of Arkansas, $110,000
• Miranda Tainter, University of Oklahoma, $98,000
• Conor Baird, Hendrix College, $96,000
• John Donald, Hendrix College, $96,000
• Indran Kamalanathan, University of Arkansas, $92,500
• Jacob Harris, University of Arkansas, $90,000
• Julianne Clements, University of Arkansas, $90,000
• Isaac Robson, University of Arkansas, $90,000
• Cody Eckes, Hendrix College, $90,000
• Jasmine Secrest, Philander Smith College, $87,072
• Austin Jackson, University of Arkansas, $80,000
• Adam Lantz, Harding University, $74,000
• John Drechny, University of Arkansas, $72,000
• Isabell Pumford, University of Arkansas, $72,000
Source: Bentonville Public Schools Foundation
Troy Galloway, Sarah Galloway’s father and commander of the Arkansas Army National Guard’s 142nd Fires Brigade, said he’s very proud of his daughter.
“She’s going to be challenged unlike any time in her life,” he said. “She will have four rewarding, yet difficult years. She’s going to have to be mentally tough. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime.”
McCollum and Sarah Galloway have been friends since preschool. Galloway said the pair are working out together about 12 hours per week to prepare for their academies. McCollum reports to Annapolis on June 27; Galloway starts cadet basic training July 1.
Bentonville’s class of 2013, with close to 800 graduates, earned $7,322,275 in scholarships and graduated Saturday. That’s about $500,000 more than what last year’s class earned.
On Tuesday the Bentonville Public Schools Foundation held its annual Academic Signing Day to honor the top 20 scholarship earners from this year’s class.
Each of those students is asked to identify a Bentonville teacher who had the greatest impact on their education. Those teachers are invited to the ceremony, but aren’t told which student — or in some cases, students — have singled them out until the students are asked to come to the podium and speak.
“Academic Signing Day is for the students and their families to take an hour or two and reflect on the success they’ve had,” said Chris Sooter, foundation board president. “We also wanted to honor the teachers who are making a difference in the students’ academic success.”
McCollum’s choice of teacher was someone she’s known her whole life: her mother. Leanna McCollum was her pre-algebra teacher in eighth grade and her seminar teacher as a freshman.
“She spent many hours working with me on math,” Michelle McCollum said. “She was always very patient.”
Leanna McCollum, who teaches algebra at the high school, appreciated the honor.
“Moms don’t always get that recognition,” she said.
Reed named Angelica Grimes, a Bentonville High Spanish teacher, as the teacher who influenced him most.
“She took the time to thoroughly answer questions,” Reed said. “She always encouraged us to speak in Spanish as much as possible in class, even if we didn’t know how to say something.”
Galloway recognized Kimberly Yarbrough, her fourth-grade teacher, at the ceremony.
“Her classroom was full of positivity and brightness,” Galloway said. “She made it exciting to learn. I’d like to thank her for all her work, and not only for being a phenomenal educator, but also for being a phenomenal mentor.”
Sooter said the 20 students honored each year don’t necessarily have the best grade point averages in their class.
“They’re taking the most challenging classes offered,” he said. “And they can write the best essays on their scholarship applications. They are the students the colleges want the most.”