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Recent Troup High School graduate Will Bartlett has been involved with giving back to the community since he could walk.

Now, as he takes the next steps toward college, his passion for giving back to the community is coming back to him in the form of scholarships.

Bartlett has a full tuition scholarship to Georgia Tech and also just received a $1,000 scholarship from New Ventures called the Richardson Memorial Scholarship.

“Of course, any type of scholarship is great, but New Ventures truly means a lot to me,” Bartlett said. “They do a lot for the community and love the community. This community means a lot to me. To get money from an organization that is dedicated to the community is a huge deal to me.”

New Ventures scholarship applicants were reviewed based on community service, academic accomplishments, extra-curricular achievements, and leadership.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to maintain some sense of normalcy and provide support for a local student in the midst of so much uncertainty for those entering college right now,” said New Ventures CEO Mike Wilson.

Bartlett is an Eagle Scout and has volunteered with the Salvation Army and St. Peter’s Catholic Church to feed members of the community. He also collaborated with the City of LaGrange to “Leave LaGrange Better Than [He] Found It” for one of his major badges to become an Eagle Scout. While volunteering with the city, he found inspiration for his Eagle Scout Project to build and install a trash trap in a local creek to lower the amount of water pollution in West Point Lake.

“I just have always believed it is important to give back,” Bartlett said. “I have been blessed in life, but there are people out there that aren’t as blessed. Giving back is a great way to show how grateful you are for those things, and I think it is important to give back part of what you have so others can prosper.”

The Richardson Memorial Scholarship, established in 2019, honors the life and legacy of Doug Richardson, an employee of New Ventures for 37 years and a friend to everyone he met.

According to New Ventures Marketing Specialist Anabeth Ivey, Richardson was known for his service to the community, his giving heart and his passion for helping others. Scholarship recipients are young women and men that exemplify those characteristics of community care, service and helping others.

“It’s important for students to feel supported as they begin the next chapter of life, they need to know someone is willing to help,” Ivey said. “Whether it’s through scholarships, grants or even a mentor, students are much more successful when they know the community has their back. Not only are they more likely to succeed, they’re also more likely to come home and give back to a community that provided opportunities for them.”