Category

What an evening! Toddtown came together to celebrate our graduates, honor the people who’ve shaped our community for years, and remind ourselves why we do this work. Thank you to everyone who came out, dressed up, and showed our scholars just how much this community believes in them.

Congratulations to Our 2026 Scholarship Recipients

Kristen Smith

Kristen graduates from Jackson High School with a 3.5 GPA and a long track record of showing up for her community. She’s served as President of Interact (the Rotary-sponsored student service club), Captain of the Sound of the Aggie Nation Auxiliary Line, and Editor of the Jacksonian Yearbook — and last spring she earned her school’s award for Most Hours Volunteered. Her service résumé includes weekly shifts at the Lifeline Food Pantry, Special Olympics and Special Needs Day at the fair, the Regional Children’s Advocacy Center dinner and auction, and ringing the bell for the Salvation Army each Christmas. This fall, Kristen will study Business at the University of South Alabama. She is the daughter of Crystal Smith Wilson, granddaughter of Cossie and Marie Smith, and a fifth-generation descendant of Sam and Sarah Todd.

Keirsten Martin

Keirsten is a graduate of Clarke County High School with a 3.6 GPA, earned while carrying more responsibility at home than most of us could imagine — supporting her mother through health challenges and helping raise her younger sibling, all while staying active in school and community life. She’s served as an Upward Bound Ambassador and a Clarke County High School Ambassador, worked as a Teacher Assistant at Grove Hill Elementary, and picked up honors in band including Most Improved, Outstanding Clarinet, and Outstanding Leadership. She’s also earned certifications in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and customer service. Keirsten plans to pursue a career in Sonography. She is the daughter of Felicia Martin and a resident of Toddtown with family ties to Sam and Sarah Todd.

Whitney Chaney

Whitney is a graduating senior at Clarke County High School with a 3.8 GPA and a résumé that reads like a full-time job on top of a full course load. She’s served as Co-Captain of the Lady Dawgs basketball team — helping lead them to the Final Four this year after being named Defensive Player of the Year the year before — while also holding down leadership roles as SGA Treasurer, an Upward Bound Ambassador, and section leader of the Royal Band of Blue for six consecutive years. Beyond the classroom, Whitney is the founder of her own clothing brand, StarChild, which she launched back in 2020, and she’s worked as a Teacher Assistant with Grove Hill Elementary’s After School Adventure program. This fall, she heads to Troy University to study Graphic Design. Whitney is the daughter of James and Wendy Chaney, and she traces her Toddtown lineage through her great-grandmother, Daisy Todd Pugh, back to Sam and Sarah Todd.

Congratulations to Whitney, Kristen, and Keirsten — and to everyone who applied this year. Each of you represents exactly what this scholarship is about: hard work, service, and carrying this community’s legacy forward.

Honoring Our 2026 Legacy Award Recipients

This year we also paused to recognize four people whose lifetime of service and dedication has left a lasting mark on Toddtown:

• Latrisa Pugh Griffin
• Minister Vicki Smith Moore
• Kathi Pines Godbolt
• Otto Wilson

Thank you for everything you’ve given to this community over the years — the example you’ve set is exactly what we hope our scholars carry forward.

None of this would be possible without the generosity of our sponsors and everyone who came out to support the evening. Thank you for investing in our students and in the future of Toddtown.

Stay tuned for next year’s festivities!

On July 2, 2026, the Toddtown Community Historical Society Board is bringing the community together for a night that’s equal parts celebration and investment in our future. We’re hosting the Sneaker Scholarship Banquet at the Gillmore Elementary School Gym in Jackson, Alabama—and we want you there on the dance floor with us.

Your ticket purchase directly funds scholarships for high school seniors pursuing higher education. It’s a night of style with a serious purpose: equipping our youth with the resources they need to succeed. During the ball, we are honored to present the scholarships to our 2026 recipients.

The attire is Semi Formal with sneakers. Hors d’oeuvres will be served.

Click Here To Secure Your Tickets or see other ways you can contribute.

What a time we had last week in Toddtown! As we all recover, lets congratulate our TCHS scholarship recipients:

• Jazmine Jones  – $750: Attended Jackson HS (Volleyball/Basketball star) Academic GPA 4.0; Will be attending Medical School; Major considering:  Nursing/Radiologist
• Kyron Horn – $500:  Attended Thomasville HS (Football star) Academic GPA 3.81; Will be attending Miles College; Major considering:  Criminal Justice and Pre-Law (Also receiving athletic scholarship)
• Jeramie Houston – $250: Attended Jackson HS Academic GPA 2.95;  Will be attending Alabama State; Major considering: Secondary Education and teach history:  He was also a place kicker at Jackson HS

Thank you to all of those who purchased tickets and/or made donations.

Stay tuned for next years festivities!