Dr. Timothy Bell, DO, Certified Osteopathic Family Physician, donated $5,000 to the Roane County Schools Education Foundation to support the 2023-24 Roane County Tennessee Scholars program in October 2023.
Dr. Bell is very familiar with several Roane County nonprofit organizations through his past roles as the Chair of the Roane County United Way Board of Directors, President of the Rotary Club of Kingston, and involvement with the Roane County Anti-Drug Coalition. In 2023, the Roane County Schools Education Foundation (RCSEF) agreed to bring the Roane County Tennessee Scholars under its nonprofit charter to serve the students and educators of the Roane County Schools.
“Tennessee Scholars is an excellent program that is good for our students,” said Dr. Bell, “I’m glad to be supporting this program and helping to make it available for our Roane County high school students.”
The RCS Education Foundation has gained its reputation by providing awards at the Annual Roane County Schools Teachers of the Year Awards Ceremony, awarding grants to teachers to support unique classroom educational programs, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) grants for middle schools. Additionally, the Education Foundation provided funds for the Barksdale Event and the restoration of the Harriman High School Barksdale Track, named after Sharrieffa Barksdale, a 1984 Olympian in the 400-meter hurdle who had been a standout athlete at Harriman High School and the University of Tennessee.
The Education Foundation’s addition of the Roane County Tennessee Scholars program expands its services to Roane County Schools by recognizing exceptional students and providing educational and workforce scholarships. The Tennessee Scholars program has served Roane County since 2007. With the 70 Tennessee Scholars in the Roane County Schools graduating Class of 2023, 1,815 students have earned the distinction of being a Tennessee Scholar. Jennifer Brown, Director of Education and Workforce Development for The Roane Alliance and Roane County Chamber of Commerce, manages the Tennessee Scholars program. The Tennessee Scholars program is conducted in partnership with the Roane County School District and with the assistance of Lance Duff, Secondary Supervisor, and the counselors at the high schools, Virtual Academy, and Midtown Education Center.
Anyone wishing to donate to the Roane County Schools Education Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, or the Roane County Tennessee Scholars program can mail their donation to Jan Fine, President of the RCSEF, 105 Bluff Road, Kingston, TN 37763-9781.