Eight years after his death, Martin P. Carroll’s spirit is alive and well, helping Plant City students pursue their college dreams.
Through the Martin P. Carroll Scholarship Fund, established by the Plant City Elks Lodge and Ladies of the Elks in 2019, three local high school graduates each received $2,000 scholarships this year, continuing a mission Carroll championed during his lifetime as a dedicated Elk, community volunteer and advocate for youth education.
“He was very community-minded,” said his wife, Shelley Carroll. “He really saw the value in these scholarships. I think he would be so proud that he’s able to continue to reach out into the community and help these kids with college costs.”
The scholarship fund, created a year after Carroll’s passing in 2018 and bankrolled by year-round fundraising efforts by the Elks and Ladies of the Elks, has become one of the lodge’s signature ways of investing in Plant City’s future.
Last Thursday, the Lodge awarded three $2,000 Martin P. Carroll Scholarships to one graduating senior from each of Plant City’s three public high schools. This year’s recipients are Juliette McClellan of Durant High School, Carly Stewart of Strawberry Crest High School and Chase Durrance of Plant City High School.
The awards were presented during a dinner hosted by the Elks Lodge following a meal of pulled pork, collard greens, macaroni and cheese, cucumber salad and cornbread.
Scholarships have long been a major focus of the Elks organization at both the national and local levels. Nationally, the Elks award scholarships through programs such as the Most Valuable Student Scholarship, which awards up to $50,000 to top recipients, and the Legacy Scholarship program for children and grandchildren of Elks members.
Locally, however, scholarship efforts evolved over time.
This year, more than 30 students applied for the scholarships. Carroll encourages students to work closely with school counselors when searching for financial aid opportunities. “There are so many local scholarships available,” she said. “The counselors hold the key. There’s so much money out there.”
For Durant High graduate Juliette McClellan, the scholarship will help her pursue a career dedicated to helping children and families facing medical challenges.
McClellan learned about the scholarship through her career counselor and completed an application that included an essay describing her character and qualifications.
She plans to attend Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers and become a child life specialist. “I’ve always loved working with children,” McClellan said. “Being able to help families and kids who are in the hospital long-term really stuck out to me.”
Strawberry Crest graduate Carly Stewart said she applied for numerous scholarships, but the Martin P. Carroll Scholarship stood out because of its local connection. “I was a little shocked when I found out I won because I wasn’t expecting it,” said Stewart. “At my school’s awards night, they didn’t tell us why we were there, so I didn’t find out about the scholarship until it was announced.”
Stewart plans to attend Hillsborough Community College before transferring to the University of Florida, where she hopes to study oceanography. She said the money will help offset living expenses as she continues her education. “I have Florida Bright Futures, but living expenses in Gainesville are expensive, and the cost of living is high,” she said. “This gives me a little more financial freedom.”
All of the winners expressed gratitude to the Elks organization. “Thank you, because it really does mean a lot for people to invest in our future and to know we have a lot of supporters behind us,” Stewart said.
During the ceremony, Elks Lodge President George Domedion praised the students for their accomplishments. “We’re always excited when we can empower the youth in our community,” he said.