Henrico County has announced two scholarships available for HCPS seniors to honor Frank Thornton and Patricia O’Bannon. The two long-time members of the Board of Supervisors will retire at the end of the year.
Both Thornton and O’Bannon were elected in 1995. Thornton was Henrico’s first Black supervisor and O’Bannon was the first woman on the board.
The county will honor each supervisor’s 28 years of service with a $5,000 annual scholarship. Thornton’s will be awarded to a student who has “shown leadership through advocacy for social issues.” O’Bannon’s will be given to a service-oriented student who plans to seek a career in public policy, communications, or education.
A dozen corporate and individual donors pledged a total of $62,500 to establish the scholarship fund. HCPS seniors can apply online for the scholarships beginning in January.
