James Vincell, a 2025 graduate of Pendleton High School, earned the 2025 Leo Slusher Award. The $2,500 award will support his studies this fall at Concord University.
Vincell is a fitting choice, as he spent hours at football practice and games on the Leo Slusher athletic fields, where he also joined in field prep and painting. Among his community service involvements, he has been a youth basketball coach, instructor at baseball camp, and announcer at various high school and middle school games. He is an active member at Living Faith Church.
He carried a grade point average of 3.96.
“The financial assistance that Mr. Slusher’s scholarship provides is a big help to me and my family as we plan for my upcoming collegiate academic and athletic careers. More than that, it is humbling to be awarded the Leo Slusher award, a name that I have grown up hearing in conversations and seeing on signs involving Pendleton County athletics for my whole life. I really appreciate your generosity in investing in my future. I’ll do my best to make you and Pendleton County proud,” Vincell wrote in a thank-you note.
The award, started by Harrisonburg, Virginia, resident Dr. Cathy Slusher, honors the memory of her father, Pendleton County resident Robert “Leo” Slusher. He was involved in the Lions Club, founded the local Relay for Life event, and earned the Pendleton County Service Award. He also established the athletic booster club at Pendleton County High School, volunteering for many years in its concession stand.
The scholarship is open to Pendleton County High School students, with consideration given to the student’s interest/participation in athletics, community service involvement, and academic record in good standing.
Past recipients include Madison Sites (2018), Marcus Sites (2019), Hunter Turner (2020), Marshall Harper (2021), Tanner Townsend (2022), Ryleigh Cook (2023), and Allie Cooper (2024).
The generous donors of the Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham annually give more than $6.8 million in grants and scholarships.
For more information, visit www.tcfhr.org.
