Two Father-Daughter Dreams Come True

In 2012, Pamela Clark’s father died, leaving her in deep grief. But that sadness compelled Pamela to take action. She established a scholarship in her father’s name that has transformed many lives — including another father and daughter.

The Goldman “Goldie” Barefield Scholarship is given to deserving students from Sweetwater High School in Sweetwater, Tenn., who plan to attend Tennessee Wesleyan University. Throughout the previous six years the scholarship has impacted 22 students with gifts totaling $58,100.

As a State Farm^® agent, Pamela understands the value of investing in her community. “This is a rural community, and I want to try to help as many young people to stay here as possible,” she says. “The biggest challenge is keeping talented youth here.”

For 2015 scholarship recipient Haley Tuck, the scholarship made her dream possible. With a severely disabled father and absent mother, Haley spent much of four years in high school in ways that most students don’t: grocery shopping, planning doctors’ appointments, helping her father and cleaning the house. She dreamed of attending nearby Tennessee Wesleyan University so she could stay home to take care of her family.

“I volunteered in local school systems half of each day during my senior year,” says Haley. “I also established my own business, Haley’s Embroidery and Sewing, and sold handmade clothes and monogrammed items through a Facebook marketplace.”

She put the money toward her tuition deposit, and she also received an academic scholarship from the university. But she knew she would need more.

Pamela’s generosity provided the additional help she needed.

“The $5,000 scholarship I received helped me to pay for the remainder of my tuition. With that extra push, I was able to graduate debt-free in three years with a bachelor’s degree in special education,” Haley says.

The 2018 graduate recently accepted a job as the special education teacher at nearby Philadelphia Elementary School. She’ll also be working on an online master’s degree from Liberty University in teaching, with an emphasis in leadership.

Thus, the scholarship has allowed two pairs of fathers and daughters to realize their dreams and positively impact their community.

“With my family on such a low income and Tennessee Wesleyan being so expensive, I tried to get every form of help I could get because going there had been my dream throughout high school,” Hayley says. “I wanted nothing more than to make my dad proud, and I knew that pursuing my dreams would make him happier than ever.”