Mac Blackburn was awarded the Taylor Moore Memorial Scholarship at the New Albany High School graduation ceremony on May 23, 2025. The $7,000 competitive scholarship is given each year to a deserving NAHS student who plans to attend college in Mississippi. The scholarship selection process includes criteria relating to character, GPA, extracurricular activities, written essay, and an interview by a selection committee.
Mac is the son of Kelly & Jason Blackburn. He plans to attend Mississippi State University and major in computer engineering.
An honors graduate, Blackburn was a member of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Student Council, Future Business Leaders of America, the varsity tennis team, and was Valedictorian.
Blackburn was elected to the New Albany High School Hall of Fame. He received several subject area awards, was voted Most Likely to Succeed, and selected as a Homecoming Escort. Blackburn was an American Legion Boys State Delegate and served as a volunteer for Night to Shine.
The Taylor Moore Scholarship was established by Bobby and Minerva Moore in memory of their son who died in 2000. Taylor Moore was a 1988 honor graduate of W.P. Daniel High School. He was Mr. DHS, Most Popular, Most Dignified, and Class Favorite and was active in student government. Moore played first base for the DHS baseball team, and received numerous academic honors. He went on to receive his bachelors and master’s degrees in business administration from Mississippi State University.
The scholarship established in his memory has been awarded for eighteen years to outstanding graduates of New Albany High School. Past recipients of the Taylor Moore Scholarship are Stacy Stepp, Darden Holmes, Kyle Kimbrough, Ivy Lauren Williams, Kyle Hickey, Callie Creekmore, Taylor Goode, Josh Creekmore, Olivia Dunnam, Lauren Cavender, Jack Hickey, Meghan Van, Sam Cagle, Joseph Rutherford, RJ Rutherford, Maggie Jo Everett, Emma Laney, Catherine Truemper, Zane Chapman, and Julianna Scott.
