Second Baptist Church and the Martin Luther King Association joined together to award their annual scholarships recently at the 27th-annual George C. Smith Annual Scholarship Dinner held in the Holy Family Church social room.
Deacon Valentino Jackson of Second Baptist Church was the master of ceremonies. Other participants included James Baber, president of the MLK Association; William Hendricks; 4th Ward Councilwoman Angela Kirtdoll-Suggs; Kent Lewis Sr.; Anita Jackson and Sharon Kirtdoll, who advised the audience of a grant that she was able to secure for Minority Health, after which she distributed a printed copy of the "Report to the Community of 2011."
The audience was reminded of the individuals who founded the George C. Smith Scholarship Committee, among them the Rev. Raymond Mason, Charles Hyman, William Underwood, William Spinner, Mary Lou Underwood, Anna Lee, Delores Miller and the first youth, Stacy Thornton.
The MLK Association awarded seven $500 scholarships.
Participating were, from left, seated, MLK Scholarship recipient Kirby Gray, a psychology major at the University of Akron; Ashton Nicole Cobb, a graduate of Jefferson County Christian School who will pursue a degree in psychology at Malone College; Lisa Thomas, a student at Eastern Gateway Community College who upon transferring plans to pursue a degree in nursing; standing, Jackson, director of community relations at Franciscan University of Steubenville and a member of the MLK Scholarship Committee who coordinates the MLK Prayer Breakfast, which raises funds for the MLK Scholarship Committee; Krishonna Williams, a student at Robert Morris University pursuing a degree in marketing.; Tinanna A. Cobb, currently at Eastern Gateway Community College and transferring to Baldwin Wallace College to major in biological science major.; Malcom Jackson, recipient of the George C. Smith Scholarship.; and Baber.
Other MLK scholarship recipients are Davon Wicker, who will be attending Muskingum University, to pursue a degree in biology and zoology, and Kayla Smith, a past recipient of the MLK Scholarship who is beginning her last year at Howard University, where she will be gaining status as a registered dietitian upon completion of her degree.
