The Rice Scholarship
Derica Rice, former Executive VP for CVS Health and President of CVS Caremark and former Executive VP of Global Services and CFO at Eli Lilly and Co., was born and raised in Decatur. An advocate for education, Rice provided the Foundation with a scholarship endowment to benefit Austin High School students. When asked about growing up here, Rice responds, “It’s who I am.” Rice attended Somerville Road Elementary, Brookhaven Middle and Austin High School, where he finished in 1983. “No matter where I travel, it’s who I am,” Rice says. “Home is always in my heart.”
Rice credits his success to educators who continued to nudge him throughout his early years to not give up. Rice says he doesn’t expect this scholarship to change anyone’s life. But he does hope it becomes that nudge along the way, combined with other nudges, that helps make a difference. “That would be very similar to what I was able to glean from growing up in Decatur,” Rice says. “I would just like to be one of those small pushes along the way. My goal is to nudge as many as I can. This scholarship is just a start.”
To learn more, please contact Austin High Guidance Counselor Catrena Jackson at (256) 552-3071 ext. 6424.
The 2023 Rice Scholarship recipients are (pictured left to right) Elijah Thrower, Camille Woodruff, Raven Sanders, Bryson Claiborne, Braylin Boulden and Lauryn Britt.
Athelyne C. Banks Scholarship
Athelyne Celest Banks devoted 42 years of her life to education, serving 29 years with Decatur City Schools after integration. She was a founding member of the Decatur City Schools Foundation, and an active Board
member for many years. She was the first woman principal at Carver High School (now Horizon). Miss Banks was described by many as a pillar in the community and a role model for education.
Upon her death in 2006, Banks established a scholarship fund through a bequest to the Foundation. The Athelyne Banks Scholarship is awarded annually to a graduate from each local high school.
To find out more about this scholarship, please contact Austin High Guidance Counselor Catrena Jackson at (256) 552-3071 ext. 6424 or Decatur High Guidance Counselor Daivon Fouche at (256) 552-3015.
The 2023 Austin High School Athelyne Banks Scholarship Recipient is Raven Sanders.