Propelling students to future success.
Announcing the 2025 Scholarship Recipients!
The Special Education Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 John Cary Scholarship, presented by Emerson, the inaugural Jane Vickrey Leadership Scholarship, and the Christopher Davis Scholarship. These prestigious scholarships honor the legacies of three individuals who dedicated their lives to education and leadership, supporting students with disabilities and special needs.
This year’s recipients of the John Cary Scholarship are:
- Adam Abdulla – Parkway West High School (Parkway)
- Vivian Lang – Affton High School (Affton)
- Austin Christensen – Webster Groves High School (Webster Groves)
- Ian McDowell – Dayspring Arts and Education & North Tech (Ritenour)
- Zion Norman – McCluer North High School (Ferguson-Florissant)
This year’s recipient of the Jane Vickrey Leadership Scholarship is:
- Lilah Durham – Brentwood High School (Brentwood)
This year's recipient of the Christopher Davis Scholarship is:
- Genysha McNeal – Ritenour High School (Ritenour)
SAVE THE DATE - Inspiring Futures Celebration: April 29, 2025
You are invited to attend the 2025 Inspiring Futures celebration, an event hosted by SSD and the Special Education Foundation to celebrate SSD student achievers. These students are among this year's recipients of:
SEF John Cary Scholarship (5)
SEF Christopher Davis Scholarship (1)
Jane Vickrey Leadership Scholarship (1)
Rosemary Zander Award
James Westbury Memorial Scholarship
Allison Haake Memorial Scholarship
Bonhomme Lions Club Scholarship
The celebration will take place on Tuesday, April 29 from 6:00 PM-7:30 PM, at the St. Louis County Library-Lindbergh Branch The first half-hour of the evening will be a social time with appetizers served. The awards presentation will begin at 6:30 PM.
We hope you can join us for this event to offer your congratulations to the students, their families, and SSD staff members who have supported them on their journey. Registration coming soon!
See the 2024 Scholarship recipients
See the 2023 Scholarship recipients.
From the Newsroom
These prestigious scholarships honor the legacies of three individuals who dedicated their lives to education and leadership, supporting students with disabilities and special needs
The John Cary Scholarship is open to SSD graduating students who plan to pursue higher education at a four-year college, university, or trade school.
The John Cary Scholarship is open to SSD graduating students who plan to pursue higher education at a four-year college, university, or trade school.
Inspiring Futures - Save the Date!
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Date: April 29, 2025
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Time: 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
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Location: St. Louis County Library - Lindbergh Branch
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Constance Anthony* Lindenwood UniversityThis scholarship has been instrumental in my pursuit of higher education, allowing me to focus more on my studies and less on financial constraints. I completed freshman year with a 3.9 GPA. Some of these opportunities include joining a multicultural student engagement cohort, being elected as a board member of my school’s fashion society, and being able to showcase my designs at a local fashion show held on campus. I am thankful for SEF's financial support!
