Carter Family Hero Scholarship Fund announces recipients

Darin and Julie Carter, along with the board and leadership of the Carter Family Hero Scholarship fund, are excited to announce the 2026 recipients of the Hero Scholarships. 

The Hero Scholarship Fund was inspired by Darin Carter’s gratitude for the help and support his family received after he was injured in the line of duty in 2016, while serving as a Deputy Sheriff in Taney County. The goal is to help ease the financial burden of post-secondary education for the children of current or former Taney and Stone County First Responders, or Taney and Stone County high school graduates planning to pursue a career in Criminal Justice, Fire Sciences, or Emergency Medical Services. 

Darin Carter shared his thanks for the community’s generous support of fundraisers, stating that the goal is to give a scholarship to a minimum of two students yearly, but with the funding this year, the organization’s board chose to award six scholarships. 

The qualification and application process is not an easy one, as students must meet academic standards, have letters of recommendation, and spend time during their high school years volunteering with an area nonprofit or public entity. Applicants also submit an essay detailing their future goals and sharing the impact they have felt from the presence of first responders in their community. The applications are then reviewed by the organization’s board, made up of several current and former community leaders, with names and identification of the applicants withheld until the review and voting process is complete.  

The Carter Family Hero Scholarship Fund is pleased to award the scholarships to the following graduates from the Class of 2026: 

·       Kaylee Genuik, Reeds Spring 

·       Landon Munhollon, Reeds Spring

·       Danica Stottle, Branson

·       River Fronterhouse, Branson

·       Zoe Vogt, School of the Ozarks

·       Tyler Carter, Forsyth 

Next year’s applications are scheduled to open on September 16. Learn more about the Hero Scholarship Fund, including special events, and find scholarship application materials, at https://carterfamilyhero.com/ or by following the Facebook page.