Every scholarship has a story behind it.
Sometimes that story is about academic achievement. Sometimes it’s about perseverance. And sometimes, it’s about carrying forward the memory of people who made a lasting impact on their community.
For Alex Pugh, it was all three.
This spring, Alex received the Kim Escoe Watson “Heart of a Hoya” Memorial Scholarship, an award created through Cobb Community Foundation by fellow educators to honor the life and legacy of Kim Watson, a beloved Harrison High School teacher remembered for her kindness, leadership, and unwavering support of students.
Kim Escoe Watson
For Alex, the scholarship carried an especially personal meaning.
Several years ago, his sister, Olivia Pugh, was tragically lost while still in high school. In the wake of that loss, family, friends, and community members established the Olivia Pugh Strength and Shield Scholarship through Cobb Community Foundation, ensuring her memory would continue opening doors for future students.
Then, at this year’s scholarship ceremony at Harrison High School, the stories of Olivia Pugh and Kim Watson intersected.
After recipients of the Olivia Pugh Strength and Shield Scholarship had been recognized, Alex was announced as the recipient of the Kim Escoe Watson “Heart of a Hoya” Scholarship.
Olivia Kate Pugh
It was a moment that touched everyone in the room.
For Alex’s family, friends, teachers, and fellow students, the announcement represented something much larger than a scholarship award. For one afternoon, two lives that had left a lasting mark on the Harrison community were connected through a young man preparing to begin the next chapter of his own journey.
The significance of that moment was reflected in the note Alex shared afterward:
“This scholarship means so much to me, and I am so grateful to have been selected. Losing my sister was the hardest time of my life, and I know that she would be so proud to see me win this scholarship. After winning the scholarship, I heard so much about Mrs. Watson, and I know I would have loved to have her as a teacher at Harrison. I am deeply sorry for your loss, and I am sure Mrs. Watson was a wonderful mother, wife, teacher, and friend.”
Alex’s note also included another piece of exciting news.
“I know when we first spoke, I stated I was going to the University of Tennessee, but last week I was pleasantly surprised to find I was accepted into the University of Georgia for this fall!”
This fall, he will begin that next chapter at UGA—remaining close to the community that has helped shape, support, and believe in him along the way.
Alex’s story is a reminder that scholarships do far more than help cover the cost of tuition.
Alex Pugh
They connect generations.
They preserve the stories of people who have shaped our community.
And they send a powerful message to students during important moments in their lives: we see your hard work, we believe in your future, and you are not walking this journey alone.
At Cobb Community Foundation, we have the privilege of witnessing stories like Alex’s every year. Since 2015, generous donors, families, businesses, and community partners have helped award more than $1.3 million in scholarships to 293 local students pursuing higher education and career training opportunities.
Each scholarship begins with someone who chooses to invest in the future of a student they may never meet.
Years later, that investment becomes part of a story like Alex’s—one that connects the past, celebrates the present, and creates opportunities for the future.
If you would like to learn more about supporting an existing scholarship fund or creating a scholarship of your own, we would be honored to talk with you. Contact our team at CCFTeam@cobbfoundation.org. Together, we can continue opening doors for the next generation of difference-makers.
