Jessie and Ollie Johnson were born in Georgia, but spent the majority of their lives in Thomasville, NC. With no more than a 7th grade education, they always stressed the importance of education to their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They encouraged them to strive to do their best and leave a legacy for others. To honor their commitment to education, the Jessie and Ollie Johnson Memorial Scholarship was created to provide scholarship opportunities high school seniors at Thomasville High School. Since 2011, thousands of dollars in scholarships have been awarded to students that have attended universities including North Carolina A&T State University, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, Wake Forest University, and Appalachian State University.