Freddie Price Memorial Scholarship

When Freddie Price died from brain cancer, his fellow instructors from Johnston Community College wanted to honor him. They decided to establish a scholarship in his name that would support a JCC student enrolling in a trade. Price had been a vocational instructor.

Price’s co-worker, Phil Beaumont along with his wife Carol, led the creation of the scholarship. “We just wanted to do something to honor him,” Carol said. “He was an instructor with the JCC prison program.” Price and his colleagues taught prisoners a trade they could use after serving time.

Established in June 2003, the Freddie Price Memorial Scholarship gave priority to an ex-offender as recommended by the JCC educational staff at Johnston Correctional Institution. Over the years, any student interested in a trade could qualify. The other instructors in the prison program gave memorial gifts, payroll deductions, and in some cases, matching employer gifts to the scholarship fund.

“(Price) was a strong supporter of vocational education,” she said. “Not everyone needs a liberal arts degree.” Her husband teaches horticulture, but prisoners are also taught the trades, such as baking or plumbing, along with their GEDs.

“We’re always going to need people to do these things,” she said. The Freddie Price Memorial Scholarship will help a deserving JCC student learn a trade.

Pictured: Phil Beaumont (left), JCC faculty member, and scholarship recipient (right).