Local foundation eases path to college for high school graduates

LEXINGTON, Tenn. — A West Tennessee native is making it easier for local students to go to college.

Jim and Janet Ayers run the Ayers Foundation, dedicated to providing students across West Tennessee with access to scholarships and college counseling.

Wednesday, the couple announced a new scholarship opportunity at Lexington High School.

“It’s a last-dollar scholarship, but up to $4,000 a year, up to 4 years for every single graduating student. That will be offered to them,” said Janet Ayers, president of the foundation.

Before, the foundation already provided the school with the college and career counseling resources. Only five schools they serve will have access to the new scholarship.

And it’s not just open to a select group of students; it’s open to every single graduate of those schools.

“We serve every student. All means all in our program. This is the piece for the last-dollar scholarship. It’s to take them across the finish line,” Janet Ayers said.

“I think it’s very helpful for a lot of students who haven’t been able to, you know, get that focus or get someone to tell them, ‘Get your stuff in gear,’ because a lot of people don’t have that all the time,” said Lexington High School senior Coleby Stout.

Jim Ayers stressed to the students the importance of higher education and how it can radically change their lives.

“They’ll make good decisions, they’ll continue their education, they’ll have about 60 years of a pretty good life,” said Ayers Foundation founder Jim Ayers.

“With somebody saying, ‘You can do it’ and believing in you, it helps you out a lot,” Stout said.

“These students are going to have access to scholarship dollars and opportunities that their counterparts are getting in Davidson County or Shelby County or Knox County,” Janet Ayers said.

The Ayers Foundation is currently partnered with 10 different high schools in rural areas.