We Encourage Post-Secondary Education through Scholarships

Each year, the Virginia Beach Rotary Club recognizes several outstanding academic students from the Virginia Beach Public School System and awards them substantial scholarship money.

The scholarships are part of the Brickell Scholars Program, which the Virginia Beach Rotary Club created in 1990. The four scholarships are:
- E.E. Brickell Scholarship ($5,000)

- Jim Spore Community Service Scholarship ($1,000)
- John J. Kreuger Memorial Scholarship ($2,000)
- Richard J. Schlimgen Memorial Scholarship ($1,000)

- Mike Katsias Rotary Special Needs Scholarship ($500)

E. E. Brickell Scholarship 
The Virginia Beach Rotary Club started this high school scholarship in 1990 as a way to honor the former Virginia City Public School superintendent. The $5,000 scholarship is awarded yearly to one student who demonstrates an excellent grade point average, is enrolled in the most challenging academic courses, displays evidence of scholarly work outside of the regular curriculum, and has achieved the highest scores on standardized testing.

Jim Spore Community Service Scholarship

The Jim Spore Community Service Scholarship recognizes a graduating high school senior’s community service in Virginia Beach to honor retired City Manager James K. Spore and his more than two decades of service to our city.

John J. Krueger Memorial Scholarship 
The John Krueger Memorial Scholarship was established in 1998 to honor the memory of John Krueger, a doctor of pathology at Virginia Beach General Hospital. The $2,000 scholarship is awarded yearly to one student with outstanding achievement in the fields of science and mathematics.

Richard J. Schlimgen Memorial Scholarship
The Richard J. Schlimgen Memorial Scholarship began in 1983 and is given yearly to one student who seeks greater knowledge of leadership principles and skills. This student serves his or her school and their community and exhibits leadership, service, scholarship, citizenship, and creativity.

Mike Katsias Rotary Special Needs Scholarship

Mike Katsias, First Citizen of Virginia Beach – 1998, was a loving father and husband, and willing contributor to many worthwhile causes in Virginia Beach. This scholarship, given to honor his name, is awarded each year to a student in the Virginia Beach City Public Schools who demonstrates the willingness to continue with post-high school education. The student will be someone who seeks to overcome a physical challenge or learning difference through additional education. The recipient of this $500 scholarship will serve as an inspiration to others through dedication to education and continued service to the community.
 

How to participate
Virginia Beach High Schools select approximately 25 rising high school seniors to participate in the Brickell Scholars Program.

During their senior year, these Brickell Scholars participate in four seminars. The first seminar, usually in January, is a meet and greet with activities that encourage interaction among students from the different high schools.

The second seminar is typically on medical ethics. This year, the 2007-2008 Brickell Scholars learned and talked about Medical Ethics with Dr. Thomas Pellegrino, Associate Dean of Education at EVMS, where he teaches medical ethics.

The third seminar is on the arts.  Students heard from award-winning artist Kay Hofler, a retired Salem High School Fine Arts Department Chairperson and art teacher, and Betsy de Julio, an art teacher at Princess Anne High School and former Education Liaison for the Contemporary Arts Center of Virginia Beach.

The fourth seminar is on government and civic duty topics. This year the Brickell Scholars heard from Jody Wagner, Virginia's Secretary of Finance; Judge Thomas Shadrick, a Virginia Beach Circuit Court judge; and Delegate Bobby Mathieson of the General Assembly.

At the end of the program, the scholarship recipients are selected by a committee of community leaders and Rotarians. In May, the Virginia Beach Rotary Club's Annual Scholars Recognition Dinner honors the recipients of the three scholarships, and announces the Brickell Scholars for the following year.

The 2007-2008 program is headed by Past President, Dr. Robert Frazier.

Background of Brickell Scholars Program
Dr. Edward E. Brickell served a distinguished career in education over a period of 36 years. Twenty-one of those years were with the Virginia Beach City Public School System as a coach, teacher, principal and ultimately as School Superintendent. Dr. Brickell earned his Doctorate at the College of William and Mary and was well known throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia and nationally as one of the most outstanding educational leaders in the country.

Dr. Brickell was not only an effective leader in the development of the superb Virginia Beach Public School System, he was also well known in the General Assembly and the Virginia Beach City Council as the creator of one of the most outstanding School Systems in the country. This school system, along with a strong Economic Development Commission, was largely responsible for the rapid growth of the city. At Dr. Brickell's retirement, our school system had grown to more than 70,000 students, 65 facilities, and 7,000 employees.

Dr. Brickell's retirement promoted the Virginia Beach Rotary Club to find a way to honor his accomplishments and keep his name tied to the outstanding school system he created. What resulted was the Brickell Scholars Program, in which Virginia Beach City Public School students could compete for a $5,000 scholarship. The common requirement was academic achievement as well as a well-rounded, active and involved student.

The first scholarship was awarded in 1990. The program now includes two other scholarships, the John J. Krueger Memorial Scholarship and the Richard J. Schlimgen Memorial Scholarship.

Since 1990, the E. E. Brickell Scholarship winners have been: