HAMLET – Former teacher Sandy Bryant established the Bobbie Sue Ormsby annual scholarship at Richmond Community College in honor of a fellow educator.

Ormsby, a native of Rockingham, served in education for 37 and a half years. She started as a second-grade teacher at LJ Bell Elementary School in 1976. After 12 years in the classroom, she became assistant principal and then principal of LJ Bell.

“I believe learning is lifelong. I don’t believe you should ever stop learning or furthering your education,” said Bryant. “Bobbie Sue (Orsmby) has served in so many capacities in education in this county, and I admire her both personally and professionally,” said Bryant, who taught English at RSH. “She is very loved by many teachers and children who came through her schools.”

Ormsby was elected to the Richmond County School Board in July 2014 and now serves as vice chair of the board. She also served on the RichmondCC Foundation Board of directors for four years.

“I’ve always loved education, and I’ve always loved children,” Orsmby said. “It sounds like a cliché, but I always knew I wanted to be a teacher.”

Education has been very important to both Orsmby and her late husband, Ed, who also was a teacher, principal and school board member in Richmond County.

“I’m very attached to Richmond County and we’re very fortunate to have Richmond Community College here. I was overwhelmed when Sandy told me about the scholarship,” said Orsmby, who described the feeling of having the scholarship established in her name like “a thousand children hugging me.”

Bryant said she and Orsmby both share a desire to see children succeed and to understand there is more after high school.

“The bragging point used to be, I was the first to get a high school degree in my family. I’d rather hear I was the first to get a college degree in my family,” Bryant said.

Dale McInnis, president of RichmondCC, said because of scholarships like Ornsby’s, many students are able to attend college.

“On behalf of the college, our board of trustees and foundation, I want to thank Mrs. Bryant and Mrs. Orsmby for their dedication to higher education and for making this scholarship available to our students so they can better their lives,” McInnis said. “This is a great opportunity for Mrs. Orsmby’s students, teachers and colleagues to join in and honor her career while supporting our students through this scholarship.”

To support the Bobbie Sue Ormsby Scholarship, contact foundation administrative assistant Sara Allen at (910) 410-1808 or email [email protected].

To apply for the Bobbie Sue Ormsby Scholarship, which will be available this fall semester, visit the College’s website: www.richmondcc.edu/scholarships. For more information, call RichmondCC at (910) 410-1700.

contributed photo | Dale McInnis, president of Richmond Community College, sits with Bobbie Sue Ormsby, center and Sandy Bryant, right, as they go over the criteria for the Bobbie Sue Ormsby Annual Scholarship. Bryant established the scholarship in Ormsby’s honor.
https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/web1_Ormsby-Scholarship.jpgcontributed photo | Dale McInnis, president of Richmond Community College, sits with Bobbie Sue Ormsby, center and Sandy Bryant, right, as they go over the criteria for the Bobbie Sue Ormsby Annual Scholarship. Bryant established the scholarship in Ormsby’s honor.

Staff report