Ann M. Weaver Scholarship Nominations
Nominations are now closed for the 2026 Ann Weaver Award.
The Ann MacPherson Weaver Memorial Scholarship was established in 1986 in memory of a 1984 RMA graduate who had succumbed to cancer earlier in the year. This competitive scholarship is awarded each year to a deserving student who best represents the scholarship criteria and who has never attended any grade of Rocky Mount Academy.
Any student who will be a rising ninth, tenth, or eleventh grader in the 2026-2027 school year and has never been enrolled in Rocky Mount Academy at any time is eligible to request an application for the Weaver Scholarship. You can be nominated by a member of the community at large, the RMA community, or you can self-nominate. The scholarship pays for the winner's tuition every year until graduation, with merit reviewed annually.
Selection criteria are based on qualities that Ann Weaver possessed:
- Forceful and unselfish character
- Intellectual and personal vigor
- Academic achievement
- Leadership in both school and community activities
- Positive potential for enriching the environment at Rocky Mount Academy
2026 Weaver Recipient
Savannah Stephens, daughter of Kyle and Susan Stephens, has been named the recipient of the Ann MacPherson Weaver Memorial Scholarship at Rocky Mount Academy (RMA). Currently an eighth-grade student at Red Oak Middle School, Savannah will attend RMA this fall as a freshman on a full-tuition scholarship valued at nearly $58,000 over four years. The Weaver Scholarship is the Academy’s only full-tuition award.
Established in 1986, the scholarship honors the memory of Ann MacPherson Weaver, a 1984 RMA graduate who passed away from cancer later that same year. It is awarded to a student who has not previously attended RMA and who exemplifies the qualities Ann embodied: unselfish character, intellectual curiosity, leadership both inside and outside the classroom, and a commitment to enriching the school community.
Savannah reflects these qualities in meaningful ways. A dedicated and thoughtful student, she demonstrates sincerity in both her academic work and community involvement. Her compassion is evident through her work with exceptional children and her service within her church.
Head of School Beth Covolo shared, “Savannah Stephens is a young woman of remarkable ability and even greater heart. Her unselfish character is evident in the way she serves others—especially through her work with exceptional children—while also leading with grace in her church and school community. Coupled with her outstanding academic achievement, she represents the very best of what this scholarship seeks to honor. We are delighted to welcome Savannah to Rocky Mount Academy.”
William Roeder, chair of the Ann Weaver Scholarship Committee, added, “Rocky Mount Academy is excited to welcome Savannah Stephens as the 2026 Ann Weaver Scholar. As she enters ninth grade this fall, Savannah will bring a passion for learning and a commitment to serving others. We look forward to welcoming her into the RMA family.”
The Rocky Mount Academy community eagerly anticipates supporting Savannah’s continued growth as a student and young adult.
Founded in 1968, Rocky Mount Academy is the largest non-sectarian independent school in the Nash, Edgecombe, and Wilson county area, serving students from preschool through 12th grade. The school’s mission is to prepare students for the challenges, opportunities, and responsibilities they will encounter in college and in life.
Ann Weaver Memorial Scholarship Recipients
2025
Charlotte Burns
2024
Chloe Agan
2023
Cameron MacDonald
2022
Ayden Lovely
2021
Isabella Daza
2020
Rachael Anne Godwin
2019
Sarah Coltrane
2018
Aurora Henderson
2017
Elizabeth Winstead
2016
Griffin Wingfield
2015
Briana Winham
2014
Lauren Seale
2013
Caitlyn Vester
2012
Davis R. Brown
2011
Rachel Williams
2010
Leah Nicole Anderson
2009
Alexandra Michelle Thompson
2008
Westray Stephen Hicks
2007
Kathryn Gorham
2006
Emily Bullock
2005
Lee Whitley
2004
Duncan Barnes
2003
Anne Beavon Gravley
2002
Katherine Lea
2001
Will Kornegay
2000
Jessie Barbie
1999
Lisa Shreiner
1998
Lindsey Mitchell
1997
Ashley Jones
1996
Elizabeth Hull
1995
Stephen Thompson
1994
Hayes Ferguson
1993
Janice Langley
1992
Kara Pittman
1991
John Cheshire
1990
Lorrie Stokes
1989
Gavin Langley
1988
Natalie Stroud
1987
Heather Scoggins
1986
Elizabeth Davis