Laughlin wins Work-Based Learning scholarship

Recent Starr’s Mill High graduate Lydia Laughlin is a recipient of a $5,000 Dolores Hardison-Hayes Scholarship.

As a factory worker for Locked Martin – NASA division, Dolores Hardison-Hayes noticed that from the mid-1960s to the 1980s that public high schools were eliminating vocational education from its curriculum choices for students. She advocated with legislators to encourage students who are not prepared for or don’t want to go to college. She saw the need for communities to have young skilled workers and how it would impact their communities in the future.

Her family members are honoring her legacy through the Dolores Hardison-Hayes Spirit Award for the Georgia Work-Based Learning (WBL) Northwest Region. The award is an opportunity to celebrate the impact of WBL and honor students who demonstrate excellence in their WBL programs, schools, and communities.

The award spotlights a student each month who has done the best at adhering to WBL guidelines and overall school standards. All monthly awardees are entered into the final selection where three students are chosen to receive $5,000 scholarships each.

Laughlin will study nursing at Samford University.