Elizabeth City, North Carolina — College of The Albemarle (COA) Foundation and the Northeast Academy for Aerospace and Advanced Technologies (NEAAAT) recently signed a memorandum of understanding for an endowed scholarship entitled the “Pailin Nicole Cheeks Memorial Scholarship.”

A former student from Pasquotank County, Pailin Nicole Cheeks was a fun-loving soul who demonstrated every day what it means to be a positive force in the lives of others. From her electric smile to her always positive demeanor, Pailin was a light to all who knew her. To celebrate her life, the Pailin Nicole Cheeks Memorial Scholarship exists to support NEAAAT graduates in their pursuit of post-secondary study. The scholarship will be awarded in the amount of $1,000 annually for the first three years while the endowment matures. Applicants must be a current graduate of NEAAAT, modeling good character traits and a strong commitment to post-secondary degree attainment. Recipients of the scholarship must also maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher.