
New leader’s savvy and heart to benefit future generations
Abbey Cowens became the MOST executive director on August 10, 2020.

Tournament sellout raises thousands for scholarships
The 2020 MOST Classic raised more than $125,000 for need-based scholarships for children in prekindergarten through grade 12.

MOST parent maximizes donation with employer matching gift
Tabitha Foxx and son Spencer joined the MOST scholarship program in 2014, and she became a MOST donor just a year later.

MOST selects inaugural class of Founder’s Scholars
MOST is excited to announce its Founder’s Scholars for 2020–2024.
Letter from our founder
MOST founder and board chair Bob Solmson thanks teachers and parents in his reflection on the spring 2020 semester.
MOST alumna Alicia Miller learns and serves through nursing world
A 2014 Memphis Catholic High School graduate, Alicia received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Xavier University of Louisiana. She now attends the second-degree BSN program at the UTHSC.

The survey says
In June 2020, we surveyed MOST parents and guardians for feedback on the MOST program and the 2019–2020 school year.

Meet the MOST Class of 2020
This remarkable class of 27 MOST Scholars graduated from 14 Memphis-area private schools and will attend 15 colleges and universities.

Donor spotlight: Stephen Woo
Stephen Woo has been a supporter of MOST since 2001. He learned about MOST when he worked for a company whose office was next to MOST’s. Now, he works at a company just two miles from MOST. Although proximity first brought Stephen into the fold, he said it’s the children who motivate him to continue giving.

MOST celebrates scholarship increase, expanded high school program
In the 2020-21 school year, MOST will strengthen its commitment to Memphis-area families with increased scholarship awards for students in kindergarten through grade 12.

Let's compare MOST and the ESA
Set to launch in the 2020-21 school year, Tennessee’s Education Savings Account (ESA) program will provide eligible families in Memphis and Nashville with over $7,100 in state funds per child per year to be used toward private school tuition and other approved educational expenses.

Partner school spotlight: Brinkley Heights Urban Academy
Brinkley Heights Urban Academy is a Christian school in North Memphis that enrolls 116 students in prekindergarten through grade 12.

Welcome aboard, new members!
We are happy to announce three new MOST board members: Nick Goetze, Ellis Haguewood, and Mary Schell.

Q&A with MOST alum: Olivia Uwamahoro Williams
Olivia Uwamahoro Williams, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of Counselor Education and College Student Affairs at the University of West Georgia.

Twenty years on the course pays off for Memphis-area students
The 20th annual MOST Classic raised $127,355 for need-based scholarships for children in prekindergarten through grade 12.

Three cheers for Boyle
The partnership between MOST and Boyle Investment Company continues to grow.

Q&A with MOST alum Kathleen Spight
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Spight now has her sights set on law school.

MOST alum Joi Taylor continues to ‘choose 901’
Through her work at City Leadership, MOST alum Joi Taylor helps equip and retain students who have graduated from its five partner schools.

Celebrating our graduates in the biggest way yet
This year’s Senior Celebration was a record-breaking success. On May 7 at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens, we hosted our largest crowd and graduating class to date!

Partner Spotlight: CSF helps your donation to MOST go farther
Since 1999, CSF has matched a portion of the funds raised by MOST for students in kindergarten through grade 8.

Summer Q&A
This summer, we reached out to our scholars, parents, alumni, and school representatives to see how they like to spend their “off” months of the year.

Consider a monthly gift to MOST
Did you know you can set up an automated monthly donation and spread your payments over the course of the year?

Q&A with MOST parent Ellen Edwards
A part of the MOST scholarship program since 2016, Ellen Edwards is the mother of two First Assembly Christian School students.
Prepping for the coming school year
MOST staff and partner schools team up to ensure program success.

Challenge goal met— time to celebrate!
If you haven’t heard the good news, we crossed the finish line of our 20th Anniversary Challenge!

A new era: MOST welcomes Leanne McQuown
Leanne McQuown is our fourth executive director, and she is excited to put her nonprofit experience to work at MOST.
MOST Scholar Q&A: Sibling Edition
Get to know Presbyterian Day School students Samuel and Benjamin.

MOST scorecard shows success
Thanks to our sponsors and participants, the 19th annual MOST Classic raised $120,000 for children’s scholarships.

MOST donor spotlight: Children’s Foundation of Memphis
Since 2001, the Children's Foundation of Memphis (CFOM) has donated $109,000 to MOST. CFOM board member Peggy McClure talks about what first spurred the organization to fund MOST.

Q&A with MOST alum Erica Alexander
An Oglethorpe University sophomore, Erica interned at the MOST office this summer. Find out more about this MOST graduate of St. George's Independent School.

MOST partner profile: Bodine School
Established in 1972, Bodine School has a singular mission: to lead the Mid-South in teaching students with dyslexia to read and succeed.

Senior send-off celebrates student success
This spring, 17 MOST Scholars graduated from 13 private schools in the Memphis area.

Prekindergarten prioritizes our most valuable asset
Children are our future. They are eager and impressionable, and their brains develop extensively from birth to age 5. How do we ensure that all children learn and grow in an environment that sets them up for a successful, healthy life?

Anniversary challenge requires fiscal muscle
Here at MOST, we’re up for our latest challenge to raise $2.5 million before December 31, 2018. If we succeed, a generous friend of MOST will match that total, dollar for dollar, providing $5 million for children’s scholarships.

MOST alum Britney Thornton featured in StyleBlueprint
An Ivy League-educated former teacher-turned-law student, Britney is turning ideas into action for the betterment of Memphis. Check out her StyleBlueprint profile.

The lowdown on MOST and #GivingTuesday
While online, you're sure to have come across #GivingTuesday pleas. When and why did MOST decide to participate?
MOST turns 20! A look back on the program and its people
Twenty years, two decades, a score: That’s how long MOST has been around. It all started when Bob Solmson read about a privately funded scholarship program in Indianapolis and went about emulating it in Memphis.

Highlights from the fairway
Seventy-seven golfers gathered at Memphis Country Club on October 2, 2017, for the 18th annual MOST Classic. Thanks to our sponsors and participants, MOST raised $102,000 for children’s scholarships.

Teaming up with ‘royalty’
In July 2017, Royal Furniture partnered with MOST for a special shopping event at its Memphis-area stores.

MOST Milestones
Read the highlights of MOST's 20-year history and learn about a big goal to be reached in 2018!

Back-to-school chat with students
September is here, and the 2017-18 school year is in full swing. Get to know some of our MOST Scholars in this back-to-school Q&A.

2017 MOST seniors are college-bound
Our 16 MOST Scholars from the Class of 2017 will attend 11 colleges and universities in fall 2017.

Q&A with MOST alumnus Rashaan Jiles-Boulding
MOST alum Rashaan Jiles-Boulding graduated from MUS in 2014. He is now a senior at Belmont University with a major in commercial music and an emphasis in composition and arranging.

Q&A with MOST alumna Melanie Hawkins
Melanie Hawkins graduated from Harding in 2010 and holds a B.A. in English language and literature from CBU. She is currently working on a master’s degree in journalism at the University of Memphis.

Q&A with MOST alumna Toraneka Hampton
A 2007 graduate of Immaculate Conception Cathedral School, Toraneka works as a mental health counselor in the Chicago area.

MOST partner school celebrates its first graduating class
Started in 2004, Brinkley Heights Urban Academy graduated its first two seniors on May 13, 2017.

Heritage Baptist senior shares gift of music
Having strings attached is not always a bad thing, especially for Heritage Baptist Academy senior Bobby Bailey. An accomplished violinist, he is now giving strings lessons.

St. Benedict senior embraces the high school experience
Listening to him recount his high school experiences, it’s hard to imagine MOST Scholar Tylan Barr was ever shy.

Golf tournament links donors to scholarship fund
On September 26, 2016, 88 golfers gathered at Memphis Country Club for the 17th annual MOST Classic. Find out how much money the event raised.

Letter from executive director
Mandy Rough expresses her gratitude for MOST families and reflects on the parent survey that MOST conducted in summer 2016.

Celebrating our 2016 graduates
In spring 2016, 14 MOST Scholars graduated from six high schools in Shelby County. Thirteen of the students will attend college in fall 2017, and one has enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Q&A with Alexis Faber
Alexis joined the MOST board of directors in spring 2016. Find out why she's so passionate about education.

Q&A with Collie Krasnick
Collie Krausnick joined the MOST board of directors in spring 2016. Find out how he got involved with MOST.

MOST alum featured in local news
Jean Francois Mahoro graduated from Memphis Catholic High School in 2004 and went on to complete a bachelor's degree in computer engineering at the University of Memphis. He was recently featured in The Daily News.

Shunise Bledsoe thrives in the field of psychology
Most people cringe at the thought of taking a four-hour test, but what about administering a four-hour test? That’s what MOST alumna Shunise Bledsoe does on a regular basis, and she loves it.

Lessons learned from a young entrepreneur
At 25, he has secured investors for a start-up business, opened a successful restaurant in New York City, and landed a job at Twitter. Who is this whiz kid? His name is Yonadav Tsuna, and he’s a MOST alumnus.