As a way to pay tribute to the life of district administrator Joseph Leftwich, the Franklin Regional Middle School faculty and staff will award a $500 scholarship to an eighth grade student annually in his name. 
 
A man of many passions, including his family, education, music, bicycle riding and educating people about cancer, Mr. Leftwich died at the age of 49 after a five-year battle with the disease on Oct. 30, 2006. For 27 years, Mr. Leftwich served Franklin Regional, first as a reading teacher, then a middle school principal and finally as the district's director of instructional services and public relations. Mr. Leftwich believed in every child's ability to learn. 
 
According to former Franklin Regional Middle School Principal Shelley Shaneyfelt, Mr. Leftwich's greatest gift to the community was his optimistic attitude toward education and life itself. His advice to her as a new administrator was to "look for the positive. There will always be problems. Just keep moving forward." She added that, perhaps, his largest impact on the students of the Franklin Regional community was his vision to make the transition from a junior high building to a Middle School in 1997.As an avid percussionist, Mr. Leftwich was always an advocate for the arts and took a particular interest in the Franklin Regional music program. He was the driving administrative force behind the elementary string program. 
 
The members of the Joseph C. Leftwich Memorial Scholarship committee welcome any current Franklin Regional eighth grade student that mirrors the drive, determination, and values of Mr. Leftwich to use the link below to apply for this scholarship. The winner will be announced during the eight grade award ceremony at the end of the year and the scholarship money will be awarded upon the winner’s graduation from high school.