This scholarship honors the legacy of Ceili Leahy, a member of the James Monroe Class of 2014. Ceili fought cancer with grace throughout her senior year at JM. After she graduated, she attended the University of Virginia. Ceili died in January 2016.

Each year the Ceili Leahy Service Project awards a $2,500 scholarship to a JM senior who embodies Ceili's spirit of service in order to encourage and support service-minded students to pursue further education.

The scholarship is awarded at the Senior Honors Program. All JM seniors with at least 2.0 GPA are eligible to apply.

Deadline: Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Applications are due by 3pm to the James Monroe High School Counseling Center.

Ceili's Attributes

Ceili had a strong commitment to public service. She cared deeply about people, human rights, justice, the environment, and her Fredericksburg and JM communities. Ceili worked tirelessly to improve the human condition and the natural world. She was a great friend who had the ability to bring out the best in those around her, helping others to see the inherent goodness in themselves. She led through the passion she showed in her beliefs. She was creative, particularly in writing, and loved to laugh, travel, and learn about other cultures.

At JM, Ceili was president of the Amnesty International and French clubs. At UVA, she was active with Habitat for Humanity, the Community Garden, and the Outdoors Club. She planned to serve in the Peace Corps and then pursue a career in global sustainability and writing.

Scholarship Eligibility

All JM seniors with at least a 2.0 GPA are eligible to apply.

Selection Criteria

This scholarship is awarded to a student who has made significant contributions through service to their local community and/or high school by demonstrating several of Ceili's attributes.

Additional consideration will be given to applicants who plan to pursue education and a career dedicated to public service, particularly in an area important to Ceili such as the environment, sustainability, human rights, global development, or realization of peace and justice.

Scholarship Use Requirements

Funds may be used only for qualified educational expenses (tuition, books and fees, required supplies and equipment)
The awardee must study at an educational institution that:
- Has a primary function of presenting formal education;
- Maintains a regular faculty and curriculum; and
- Normally has a regularly enrolled body of students in attendance at a place where it conducts its educational activities. This could be a college, university, trade, technical, vocational, or other school that is nationally accredited and authorized by law to offer its program.
Payment of Award:
- Scholarship funds may be paid directly to the educational institution if the school agrees in writing to use the funds to defray the student's expenses, or
- Funds may be paid directly to the awardee if the student agrees in writing to submit at the end of each academic term during which scholarship funds are used a transcript of courses taken and grades received

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Questions?

Holly Botkin

Director of Counseling (Senior Class)