Rock Island-Milan Education Foundation Starts New “Heart of a Rock” Scholarship
The Rock Island-Milan Education Foundation (RIMEF) has a new scholarship for any Rock Island High School senior having a parent who
Triona Roberts and Megan Wilson (middle) established a new scholarship fund in honor of their mothers, Yolanda, left, and Terri. Yolanda died at 50 from breast cancer in 2019.
has or has had a significant illness.
The new “Heart of a Rock” scholarship was established by Megan Wilson and Triona Roberts, 2010 RIHS graduates, in honor and memory of their mothers (Terri Wilson and Yolanda Roberts) who both fought a battle with breast cancer.
They want to support seniors who have undergone the unforeseen challenges that happen when parents are fighting illnesses, according to RIMEF. The $1,000 award will be given to one special student with a heart of a “rock” who has/had a parent with an illness of any kind.
The scholarship was established with donations from Wilson and Roberts along with donations from friends, family, and community members. While funds for the scholarship were being raised, Roberts’s mother, Yolanda, lost her battle.
Wilson resides in Milan and was elected to the Rock Island-Milan School District Board of
Triona Roberts, right, ran track at Rock Island High School.
Education in 2019. Roberts now lives and works in Georgia.
Yolanda Roberts was just 50 when she died from breast cancer in September 2019.
Over 25 years ago, Atwater founded Sisters Hair Salon, 701 9th St., Rock Island, and moved to Georgia with her husband in 2015. She passed away on Sept. 4, 2019, in Atlanta.
As a visionary and entrepreneur, Yolanda had plans for a new endeavor to provide wigs for cancer patients and to open a holistic education center named in honor of her mother, Rosetta, according to her obituary.
“She gave wigs out for free for cancer patients and people with hair loss,” Triona Roberts said in 2019, noting her mom did that years before she developed breast cancer.
Two years ago, when Megan Wilson ran for the school board as a 26-year-old educator, she wrote: “I am
Megan Wilson, a 2010 Rock Island High graduate, was elected to the Rock Island-Milan school board in 2019.
running for school board because I have the heart of a ‘Rock.’ I attended Rock Island-Milan schools my entire life.
“Throughout my education, I was faced with many hardships, and my experience as a student helped shape me into the person I am today,” Wilson said. “Since I was given support, I know firsthand the importance of giving back in order to impact the lives of students in the district.”
The Heart of a “Rock” Scholarship is among five new scholarships the foundation will give out to the Class of
The Rock Island-Milan Education Foundation will give out its annual academic awards and scholarships on May 13, 2021.
2021 – including the Mollie Montgomery Scholarship, Miles W. Rich Family Scholarship, Rock Island Rotary “Service Above Self” Scholarship, and the Rosemary Woodward Scholarship.
The RIMEF will award a total $93,300 through 53 named scholarships and 16 Austin Academic Achievement Awards to the Class of 2021
To apply for scholarships, RIHS students should contact the foundation as soon as possible at 309-581-2154 or rimef@rimsd41.org. Scholarships will be awarded during the Austin Academic Achievement Awards and Scholarship Night scheduled for May 13, 2021 (pending Covid restrictions and concern for students/families).
Last year’s award program was done via video due to Covid and a video will also be created for this year’s program.
For more information, visit www.rimef.org.
