pcproud26

2026 Pulaski County Proud scholarship winners announced

Officials with the Pulaski Community Partners Coalition (PCPC) and the Pulaski County Proud Committee hosted a reception and awards presentation for the 2026 recipients of the Pulaski County Proud scholarship, as well as their families, at the Pulaski Public Library on May 27, 2026.

The three award recipients – all recent graduates of Pulaski County High School (PCHS) – have plans to continue their education this fall.

Bryant Nottingham, who took top honors and the $1,500 scholarship award, will attend Emory & Henry University, where he will pursue a degree in exercise science. Bryant will also be playing football for the Wasps.

Emily Beecher, who won second place and a $1,000 scholarship, will be attending Radford University with plans to pursue a degree in early education. She is currently working with a local pre-school.

Finally, the third-place recipient, Isabela Golden, received a $500 award. Isabela will attend Virginia Tech to study biology. Her goal is to become a veterinarian.

With this year’s awards, the Pulaski County Proud scholarship program has distributed more than $16,000 to graduating seniors from PCHS since 2018. These awards would not be possible without the support of our community – including the Annual “Gobble & Wobble” 5K event sponsored by the Pulaski County Department of Parks & Recreation. These are local dollars supporting local youth!

Scholarship Essays

By Bryant Nottingham (First Place winner)
Pulaski County is home. It is where I grew up and where I learned the value of hard work and leadership. It is where I built friendships that will last a lifetime and discovered the importance of community. Like many rural areas in Virginia, Pulaski County faces challenges, especially when it comes to encouraging young people to stay or return after college. How do we create a place where young adults can build successful, fulfilling lives? I believe Pulaski County is already taking steps in the right direction, but there is still more we can do.

One of the most important changes I would like to see is the expansion of career opportunities. Many students leave Pulaski County for college with dreams of building careers they love-careers that can also support a family and justify the cost of higher education. Too often, they feel they must remain in larger cities to achieve these goals. By attracting new businesses, expanding industries such as technology and healthcare, and supporting entrepreneurship, Pulaski County can create opportunities that bring people back home. Partnering with local high schools and colleges across Virginia to offer meaningful internships would allow students to gain valuable experience while staying connected to their community. When young professionals see a clear path to success in their hometown, they are far more likely to invest their future here.

In addition to career growth, developing more community-based social, entertainment and recreational opportunities is essential. Pulaski County is making progress with the addition of the SportsPlex, the return of racing, and events at Calfee Park. Combined with local wineries, marinas, and breweries, these attractions make our area more appealing to young adults. Building on this momentum, I would like to see more concerts and events hosted at venues like Calfee Park and the Speedway to bring people together and attract visitors. Expanding the SportsPlex to include both indoor and outdoor Olympic-size swimming pools could allow Pulaski County to host year-round swim meets. Adding more outdoor soccer and football fields would also provide opportunities for recreation and competition, making our community even more vibrant.

I learned the importance of community and leadership through my role as a captain on the football team. I would like to see our community come out in large numbers to support our local athletes in all sports. When you practice day in and day out and go out to compete, there is nothing more magical than hearing the cheers of our community.

Another important step is ensuring that young people have a voice in shaping the future of Pulaski County. Creating a student advisory board made up of local high school and New River Community College students would allow community leaders to hear directly from the next generation. Giving students the opportunity to share their ideas about developments like the SportsPlex, the Speedway, and Calfee Park would show them that their opinions matter. When young people feel heard and valued, they develop a stronger sense of pride and responsibility for their hometown. Mentorship programs connecting students with local leaders could further inspire and prepare future community leaders.

Finally, we must promote a positive image of Pulaski County. Many young people believe they must leave to find success, but that narrative can change. By highlighting local success stories, celebrating community achievements, and investing in tourism, we can reshape how people view our county. Pulaski County can be known not only as a great place to grow up, but also as a place to build a future.

This fall, I will be attending Emory & Henry University to pursue my goal of becoming a physical therapist while playing football for the Wasps. I hope to represent Pulaski County in a positive light and return to Pulaski County to help improve access to healthcare and support the well-being of my community.

In conclusion, the future of Pulaski County depends on our ability to grow while staying true to our rural roots. By expanding career opportunities, enhancing recreational and social spaces, and empowering young people to use their voices, Pulaski County can become a place where people are excited to return after college. With continued effort and community support, it can be more than just a hometown-it can be a place where dreams are built and where future generations choose to belong.

By Emily Beecher (Second Place winner)
Pulaski County “hope” means building a future where people feel proud to stay, grow, and give back to the place that shaped them. For me, hope is deeply personal. It began when my family moved from the busy city of Norfolk, Virginia, to the quieter, close-knit community of Pulaski County. Leaving a large city behind was a big adjustment, but it did not take long for us to feel something special here. Almost immediately, we were welcomed with a sense of community pride that is hard to find in bigger places. Neighbors knew each other, people looked out for one another, and there was a shared understanding that this was more than just a place to live it was home.

That feeling of belonging is what hope looks like to me. It is knowing that even in a small community, there are big opportunities to make a difference. Pulaski County has shown me that hope is built through connection, kindness, and a willingness to invest in each other. Whether it is community events, local organizations, or simply the way people come together during times of need, Pulaski County carries a spirit that inspires me to be part of something bigger than myself.

As someone who is preparing for a future in education at Radford University, my hope is to return to Pulaski County and teach in one of our local schools. I want to give back to the same community that has given so much to me and my family. I believe that education is one of the strongest ways to build hope for the future. By encouraging and supporting young students, I can help them see their potential and feel proud of where they come from. I want to be the kind of teacher who not only educates but also inspires students to believe that they can succeed right here in Pulaski County.

However, hope also means recognizing areas where we can grow. For Pulaski County to continue to thrive and encourage young people like me to stay, there are changes that could make a meaningful impact. One important area is creating more activities and opportunities for children and families. While our community has a strong foundation, adding more family-oriented events, recreational programs, and safe gathering spaces would strengthen that sense of connection even further. Things like festivals, youth programs, and organized activities could give children more opportunities to learn, grow, and build friendships.

Additionally, having more family-friendly restaurants and places to spend time together would make a big difference. In larger cities like Norfolk, there were always options for families to go out, try new things, and create memories together. Bringing more of those experiences to Pulaski County would not only benefit residents but also attract visitors and encourage economic growth. When families have places to gather and enjoy time together, it strengthens the community as a whole.

Hope, to me, also means giving young people reasons to stay. Many people my age feel like they have to leave small towns to find opportunities, but I believe Pulaski County has the potential to change that. By continuing to invest in education, local businesses, and community programs, we can create an environment where young adults feel excited to build their futures here. When people see growth and opportunity in their hometown, they are more likely to stay and contribute to its success.

In the end, Pulaski County “hope” is about believing in what our community is and what it can become. It is about honoring the strong sense of pride that already exists while working toward a future that offers even more opportunities for families and young people. My journey-from moving here from a big city to pursuing a teaching degree with the goal of coming back-reflects that hope. I am proud to call Pulaski County home, and I look forward to being part of its future, helping to shape a community where others will feel just as welcomed, supported, and hopeful as I do.

By Isabela Golden (Third Place winner)
Although I plan to stay in Pulaski County, many people my age plan to leave. One of their main concerns is that there is “nothing to do around here”. I think that to solve this problem, our community needs to show the younger generation what is good about small-town living, while possibly making some minor adjustments around town to target my generation.

We can show the younger generation what they would be missing if they moved away to a higher populated area with “more things to do” by expressing what the pros of Pulaski County are. One Pro of our smaller county is the lower cost of living, so we can show the younger generation that a dollar goes further here than in highly populated areas. Also, with fewer people comes less traffic, but in busy towns, it would take longer to get from place to place. Another pro of small towns is that they are usually safer to live in than the cities they would be moving to.

Lastly, in Pulaski County, we have a tight knit community that they would not get if they move highly populated areas. After expressing this list, we can ask if it is worth losing all these pros and moving away from the only place that you know, just so you have something different to do on the weekends. Pulaski County can show them that if you live here, you can travel to neighboring, larger towns on weekends to experience different activities, while still receiving all the things Pulaski County has to offer.

To keep my generation here, Pulaski County will need to do more than tell them what they would be missing; we need to actively make a change by adding events and making slight changes to our county that will attract younger people. An event that would attract younger people is a music festival that can be held at the fairgrounds. It would have local music artists, line dancing, and great food. Another thing that would attract people to stay is if we advertised the recreation sports leagues we have for 20 year olds, and potentially adding more leagues. This would get the younger generation to participate in our community and, as a result, want to stay in Pulaski County. In addition, keeping the local businesses open longer would be a good change to make because the younger generation values a good night life. Right now, many places around Pulaski County close at about 8-9pm, which stops people who live here from going out at night, so they have to go elsewhere. This makes the younger generation want to move to a place that’s open at night.

Lastly, I think that if we had a younger person in our local government in some shape or form, then they could represent the younger community members’ needs better. This person would be close in age to my generation or be a part of it, so they would have more insight into the reasons that younger people might want to move away. Overall, I think that if we show my generation what they would be missing and change minor things around town, the younger generation would be more inclined to stay or move back to Pulaski County.