The Delaware Department of Education has announced the recipients of four state merit scholarship programs for the 2018-19 academic year. Merit scholarships are competitive and awarded based on a student’s academic performance, participation in school activities and service to the community. Students may apply for Delaware merit scholarships in their senior year of high school. All four awards are renewable. Three of the programs are memorial scholarships that honor state legislators and provide full tuition, fees, room, board, and books at the public colleges in Delaware. Those scholarships are:
- The B. Bradford Barnes Memorial Scholarship, in honor of the former Speaker of the State House of Representatives, is awarded to one student each year enrolling full-time at the University of Delaware. Dana Wilkins, a graduate of Newark Charter School, is the recipient of the B. Bradford Barnes Memorial Scholarship. Wilkins will major in biomedical engineering.
- The Herman M. Holloway, Sr. Memorial Scholarship, in honor of the first African-American State Senator in Delaware, is awarded to one student each year enrolling full-time at Delaware State University. Carissa Thorne, a graduate of Caesar Rodney High School in the Caesar Rodney School District received the Herman M. Holloway, Sr. Memorial Scholarship. Thorne will major in kinesiology.
- The Charles L. Hebner Memorial Scholarship, in honor of the former Speaker of the State House of Representatives, is awarded annually to one full-time student at the University of Delaware and one full-time student at Delaware State University who are majoring in the humanities or social sciences. (Preference is given to political science majors.) Caroline Klinger of private Padua Academy, is the recipient of the Charles L. Hebner Memorial Scholarship at University of Delaware. She will major in political science. Malia Brittingham, a homeschool graduate, is the recipient at Delaware State University. She will major in history.
- The Diamond State Scholarship assists full-time students attending regionally accredited, nonprofit colleges in any state. Winners of the Diamond State Scholarship receive $1,250 per year. For the 2018-19 academic year, 35 students were awarded Diamond State Scholarships. They are listed below by high school:
| Name | High school |
| Silpa Annavarapu | Newark Charter School |
| Caelan Backus | Seaford Senior High School |
| Kierstin Blatzheim | Sussex Academy |
| David Bondi | Archmere Academy |
| Josh Bredbenner | Worcester Preparatory School |
| Faith Brown | Charter School of Wilmington |
| Muhammad Burki | Dickinson (John) High School |
| Noah Carpe | Salesianum School |
| Michael Chen | Newark Charter School |
| Christopher Czerwinski | Newark Charter School |
| Ryan Dean | MOT Charter |
| Olivia Duke | Newark Charter School |
| Joshua Fickes | Charter School of Wilmington |
| Chloe Frantz | Newark High School |
| Jessica Goldschlager | Caesar Rodney High School |
| Melina Hudson | Milford Senior High School |
| Tyler Imprescia | Polytech High School |
| Pooja Kaji | Charter School of Wilmington |
| Joni Kashner | Polytech High School |
| Sean Kelby | Newark Charter School |
| Cullen Kisner | Caesar Rodney High School |
| Naomi Mengel | Tall Oaks Classical School |
| Maria Morelli | Delmar Senior High School |
| Timothy Mulderrig | Middletown High School |
| Romil Patel | Newark Charter School |
| Ankita Prasad | Newark Charter School |
| Evan Rosario | Appoquinimink High School |
| Ryan Singh | Middletown High School |
| Marshall Smith | Wilmington Christian School |
| Charlotte Swafford | Mt. Sophia Academy |
| Ryan Tarr | Appoquinimink High School |
| Zachary The’ | Charter School of Wilmington |
| Maria van Venrooy | Charter School of Wilmington |
| Tanvi Venkatesh | Newark Charter School |
| Sarah Wearden | Caesar Rodney High School |
Media Contact: Alison May, alison.may@doe.k12.de.us, 302-735-4006