William Blount

Two local students were among 16 total to win Arconic Foundation Sons and Daughters Scholarships this year.

Isaac Christenbery and Reese Pesterfield each won a $5,000 scholarship.

Christenbery was the Greenback School 2023 salutatorian, with a GPA of 4.17. He is the son of Angela and Ronnie Christenbery.

During his time at Greenback, Isaac served as student council secretary, class president, yearbook editor and Future Business Leaders of America vice president. When not in school, he enjoys camping, attending auto races and visiting the Great Smoky Mountains.

He will attend Pellissippi State Community College to complete a business administration transfer program, with plans to move on to a four-year institution to complete his bachelor’s degree.

Pesterfield, son of Kendra Wilson and Joshua Pesterfield of Maryville, is an honors graduate of William Blount High School, finishing in the top 15% of his class.

Reese played varsity soccer all four years of high school and was a team captain during his senior year. While at William Blount, he was also involved in swimming, volleyball, Spanish Honors Society, National Honors Society, the school’s pep club, student council, theater and Future Farmers of America. Reese also ran track and field, competing in the decathlon.

In addition to the Arconic Foundation scholarship he also earned track and academic scholarships at Milligan University, where he will study biology and compete as a track and field athlete, running 400-meter hurdles and/or the decathlon.

“Arconic Foundation is proud to celebrate this year’s scholarship recipients,” said Ryan Kish, Arconic Foundation president and treasurer. “Each recipient displayed impressive academic accomplishments and a continued dedication to their education. We hope this scholarship will help them as they strive to achieve their ambitious goals for their future.”

Since 1953, the Sons and Daughters Scholarship Program has recognized outstanding academic achievement, leadership and community service by awarding scholarships to thousands of students, including former U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, who won the scholarship as a Maryville High School graduate in 1958. The program is open to the children of active, permanent part-time and full-time employees of Arconic Corp. and its wholly owned subsidiaries.

Scholarship recipients are selected by an independent panel of judges through a rigorous process managed by International Scholarship and Tuition Services.

Arconic Foundation partners with nonprofit and community organizations to enhance education through skill-building learning experiences, promote environmental sustainability, and advance social equity. Arconic Foundation is funded through an independent endowment and invests in the communities of Arconic Corp.