LYNCHBURG, Va. – Lynchburg Beacon of Hope hosted a press conference on April 7 at E.C. Glass High School to announce the 2025 recipients of the Hilltopper Alumni Football Scholarship. Each awardee received $5,000, distributed over four years, to support their college journey as student-athletes. This year’s recipients are Roy Ricks and Kaden Patrick.
Ricks will attend Bluefield College in the fall, while Patrick is still finalizing his plans. Both Ricks and Patrick are recognized for their character on and off the field. Ricks aims to continue as a student-athlete with Bluefield’s football team.
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The Hilltopper Alumni Football Scholarship was established to promote leadership, academic achievement and a strong work ethic within the E.C. Glass football community. Past recipients include Chris Walker-Wells, Lyvarious “Varri” Gilbert, Markevus Graves-Franklin, Quatarius Foster, Nick Watson, and Michael Thompson.
Launched by an anonymous group of alumni donors, the scholarship will continue through the Class of 2027. Hilltopper alumni, in partnership with Beacon of Hope, are dedicated to closing the opportunity gap for E.C. Glass football players pursuing higher education.
In addition to financial support, all scholarship recipients receive ongoing guidance and mentorship from Beacon of Hope’s Office of College and Career Success. The nonprofit also awards scholarships to Heritage High School students and aims to foster a culture of community and alumni support through such programs.
Beacon of Hope’s Leidra McQueen said, “This scholarship is more than just financial support — it’s a message to our student-athletes that their hard work, character, and commitment matter. It’s the E.C. Glass community saying, ‘We believe in you, and we’re with you every step of the way.‘”
