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Ten high school seniors from Southside Virginia and northern North Carolina will each receive $1,000 scholarships presented by Benchmark Community Bank.

The annual SmartStart Community Commitment Scholarship is named for the bank’s SmartStart money management program designed for ages 13-17.

Selected from a pool close to 100 applicants for the bank’s SmartStart Community Commitment Scholarship, area recipients are Dalton Ashworth and Na’kihya Ragsdale of Central High School (Lunenburg County); Hannah Ostrander and Justin Stimpson, both of Fuqua School (Farmville); Victoria Rowe of Bluestone High School; and Hinton Vick III and Katie Wright, both of Brunswick Academy.

Ashworth plans to attend Hampden-Sydney College with a major in Business/Economics. Ragsdale will pursue a major in forensic science at Virginia Union University. Ostrander will be attending Southside Virginia Community College to pursue nursing. Stimpson will also be attending Southside Virginia Community College to study welding and automotive technology.

Rowe plans to major in marketing and business administration at Elon College. Pursuing a degree in agribusiness, Vick III will be attending Southside Virginia Community College. Wright also plans to attend Southside Virginia Community College to major in early childhood education.

“All of these students distinguished themselves through service with several community organizations, as well as involvement and leadership in multiple extracurricular organizations at their high schools,” Benchmark President/ CEO Jay A. Stafford said. “We need young people like these to further their education and return to Southside Virginia and northern North Carolina to contribute their skills and talents for the future of our region. It is Benchmark’s privilege to help these students succeed.”