Congratulations, LaVese Maxwell!

The Knox St. Patrick’s Parade is proud to congratulate LaVese Maxwell, graduate of Knoxville Catholic High School, this year’s recipient of the John & Pat McLaughlin Scholarship.

LaVese will be heading to Suffolk University in Boston, where she plans to study pre-law. We are excited to play a small part in the next chapter of her journey and can’t wait to see where her hard work, determination, and heart take her.

Each year, the John & Pat McLaughlin Scholarship awards $1,500 to a deserving high school senior. The scholarship is named in honor of John and Pat McLaughlin, the original chairs of Knoxville’s St. Patrick’s Parade in the 1980s. Their dedication helped establish a St. Patrick’s Day tradition in downtown Knoxville that continues to bring our community together decades later.

Fittingly, the McLaughlin family selects the scholarship recipient based on qualities that reflect the spirit of John and Pat: character, heart, love of faith, and genuine kindness toward others.

This year’s scholarship was presented to LaVese by Knox St. Patrick’s Parade co-founders, Chandle Turbyville and Christy Watkins.

During the presentation, Christy shared a touching message from McLaughlin family representative, Sue McLaughlin Greer:

“Irish eyes are smiling from Heaven.”

Those words beautifully capture what this scholarship means to our parade team. It is more than financial support for a student—it is a way to honor the people who helped build Knoxville’s St. Patrick’s Parade while investing in a young person who embodies the values they held dear.