At Lumbee River EMC, supporting the next generation of leaders is part of our commitment to the communities we serve. Each year, we are proud to recognize outstanding students through our scholarship program and the Washington Youth Tour — opportunities designed to encourage academic achievement, leadership, and community involvement. 

Recently, Lumbee River EMC hosted the 2026 Scholarship & Youth Tour Awards Luncheon at the Lumbee River EMC Headquarters Building in Pembroke to recognize this year’s recipients and celebrate their accomplishments.  

This year, we were honored to recognize the following scholarship recipients: 

2026 Scholarship Recipients 

• Thomas Wade Bethea Scholarship 
  Aaron Sanders — Hoke High School  

• Lucy Smith Scholarship 
  Ellie Kim — Jack Britt High School  

• Elias Rogers Scholarship 
  Tessa Stubin — Jack Britt High School  

• John S. O’Briant Scholarship 
  David Hicks — Pine Forest High School  

• J.W. Hunt Scholarship 
  Jacobi Simmons — SandHoke Early College High School  

• J. McN. Gillis Scholarship 
  Parker Chavis — Fairmont High School  

• Madie Rae Locklear Scholarship 
  Everlie Brayboy — Purnell Swett High School  

We also proudly recognized our 2026 Washington Youth Tour winners: 

Joanna Lee — Jack Britt High School  

Christopher Walters — SandHoke Early College High School  

The Washington Youth Tour provides students with the opportunity to travel to Washington, where they learn more about leadership, government, and the cooperative difference while connecting with students from across the country. 

We congratulate all of these students on their accomplishments and look forward to seeing the positive impact they will make in the future. Their dedication, leadership, and hard work continue to inspire our communities and reflect the bright future ahead for our region.