William N. and Pamela B. Hill Scholarship

About Billy and Pam

This scholarship honors two educators who influenced many young lives in Suffolk.

William N. Hill (“Billy”) was born and raised in Suffolk, VA. He attended Suffolk Public Schools and is a graduate of Suffolk High School. Billy received his B.S. in Health and Physical Education, with a minor in Biology, from Old Dominion University, where he later earned his M.Ed. in Secondary Administration and Supervision, as well as a Certificate in Advanced Studies in Educational Leadership and Instruction.

Billy’s teaching career included teaching science and physical education at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School; teaching health, physical education, driver’s education, and social studies at Suffolk High School; teaching and directing adult education classes; serving as guidance counselor at Suffolk High School and Booker T. Washington Jr. High School; serving as assistant principal at Suffolk High School and Booker T. Washington Jr. High/Intermediate School; and serving as principal of Booker T. Washington Jr. High/Intermediate School, Suffolk High School, and Lakeland High School. He also was Coordinator of Middle and Secondary Schools for the Suffolk Public Schools. Billy coached Junior Varsity Basketball and Football, was assistant coach for Varsity Football and Basketball, and was head coach for Track and Golf. After his retirement, he worked part-time as an educational consultant for the Virginia State Department of Education as a site coordinator for the High Schools That Work program.

The love of Billy’s life was his wife, Pamela (“Pam”), who was born in Norfolk and educated in the public schools of Norfolk and Virginia Beach. She received her B.S. in Elementary Education from Old Dominion University and her M.Ed. from the University of Virginia.

Like her husband, Pam was a remarkable educator who truly loved teaching, and she especially enjoyed her time with first graders. Anyone lucky enough to have “Mrs. Hill” as a teacher received the very best foundation—one that stayed with them throughout their educational journey.

Later in her career, Pam became a reading specialist, working with small groups and individual students who struggled with reading development. Her support, care, and love made a lasting difference in helping those children become confident readers. She later served as an educational diagnostician, identifying students who needed special support to reach their goals, before retiring from the Suffolk Public School system after 30 years of service.

Billy and Pam were active with many community organizations in Suffolk. As longtime members of Main Street United Methodist Church in Suffolk, Billy and Pam served faithfully on various church committees and in many leadership positions. Billy served on the Suffolk School Board from 2002 until 2006, and he was a member of Suffolk Rotary Club, the Suffolk Jaycees, the Suffolk Lions Club, Suffolk Tennis Association, Suffolk Youth Athletic Association, the Suffolk Library Board, the Salvation Army Board, among others. He was named “Sportsman of the Year” by the Suffolk Sports Club after serving as a coach for recreational youth basketball and soccer. Pam also gave her time generously, volunteering as a tutor in the public schools and with organizations such as the Western Tidewater Free Clinic and Meals on Wheels. She also served on the Suffolk Library Board.

After retiring from his career in education, Billy became a leader in local philanthropy. He was the Interim Executive Director of the Obici Healthcare Foundation from its inception until February of 2007, after assisting the newly-hired executive director to become acclimated to his position. In May of 2007, Billy then came to work as the first executive director of the newly-formed Suffolk Foundation. Billy worked as the sole employee of the Suffolk Foundation until he truly retired in 2015, when this scholarship was started in his honor by board members of the Suffolk Foundation.

Pam passed away in March of 2026, and today Billy lives in Kill Devil Hills, close to their son Nathan, his wife Kelly, and their two children, Cameron and Carson. Billy and Pam’s daughter, Laura Wrighte, and her husband Mark have two children, Kyle and Sydney, and live in South Riding, VA. Billy and Pam also have two great-grandchildren: Hudson Wrighte and Charlotte Wrighte.

Scholarship Criteria

To be considered for this scholarship, an applicant must:

• Be a resident of Suffolk, Virginia.
• Be a senior in one of Suffolk’s public high schools.
• Plan to pursue a college degree in education.
• Plan to attend college or university full-time in the fall.
• Have participated in either school or community activities, or have held a job.
• Have a cumulative weighted GPA of 2.5 or higher.

Awardees

2026: Alanna Cody, Nansemond River High School
2025: Cameron Worrell, Lakeland High School
2024: Brenda Holloman, Lakeland High School
2023: Alisa Chandler, Nansemond River High School
2022: Abigail Lockhart, Nansemond River High School
2020: Lauren Biando, Nansemond River High School
2019: Allison Thompson, Lakeland High School
2018: Skylar Old, Nansemond River High School
2017: Megan Grass, Nansemond River High School
2016: Ariel Salerno, Lakeland High School