Kendrick Fithen wins Roland Johnson Memorial Scholarship from Auxiliary 633

Kendrick Fithen earned the 2026 Roland Johnson Memorial Scholarship from the Charles H. Eyre American Legion Auxiliary Unit 633, a $500 award meant to help ease the cost of full-time college for a North Adams High School student. The scholarship was tied to the school’s awards season at North Adams High School, 96 Green Devil Dr. in Seaman, where students were being recognized during the Senior Recognition ceremony on May 11.

The award carries the name of Roland Johnson, a Seaman resident who died in 2023 at age 87. Johnson was remembered by Auxiliary members for the camaraderie he brought to their monthly veteran lunches, and when he could no longer attend in person, the Auxiliary made sure meals were delivered to him. Post Commander Eric Newman later said Johnson was “the life of the room” and that he “filled the room with laughter,” a memory that still shapes why the scholarship bears his name.

Johnson’s family also asked that memorial donations be made to the Seaman American Legion, Post 633 after his death, reinforcing the close ties between the family and the local post. That connection helped turn a memorial into a practical form of support for students in Adams County, where even a modest scholarship can matter when tuition, books and the first round of college expenses start piling up.

The scholarship has become an annual part of North Adams High’s recognition season. Cody Hesler and Caleb Rothwell were named recipients in 2024, and Katelynn Boerger received the scholarship in 2025. For 2026, Kendrick Fithen joined that list, continuing a tradition that links veteran remembrance with college access.

The award is limited to North Adams High School juniors or seniors planning to attend college full time in the fall, and applicants must be direct descendants of an honorably discharged veteran. That requirement keeps the scholarship rooted in family service and local memory, while also putting real dollars into the hands of students from Adams County who are preparing for what comes next.