A Vicksburg club is working to give back to the community by supplying over $6,000 in scholarships to recent high school graduates and recognizing junior high and high school students in an oratorical and essay contest.

The Vicksburg Homecoming Benevolent Club handed out scholarships Saturday morning at its yearly scholarship brunch at St. Mary’s Center during the annual homecoming weekend.  This is the 41st homecoming and the 31st year to award scholarships.

Recipients had to be a local graduating seniors with a GPA of at least 2.0, an ACT score of at least 15, a college acceptance letter and they had to write an essay explaining how they could benefit from receiving a scholarship.

Dedric Lane Jr. wrote his essay about how a scholarship would give him success in the future and received the Harry Powell Memorial Scholarship worth $500.

“It really was essential to me to help pay for school,” he said.

Lane will play football and major in physical therapy at Alcorn State University. He leaves for school Monday.

The VHBC Founder’s Scholarship worth $500 went to Kaylin Young who is going to the University of Southern Mississippi and majoring in biological sciences. She plans to become a veterinarian and has a heart for animals.

“That’s just something I’ve always loved and that’s what I want to get into,” Young said.

She is appreciative of the opportunity to further her education.

“This is really going to push me forward so I can achieve my goals,” she said.

Lylen Fisher, a junior at Warren Central who was able to graduate early, received the James and Gayelord Carpenter Scholarship worth $500. She is excited to get a head start in the nursing program at the University of Southern Mississippi.

“I took an English 3 class over the summer and it put me where I needed to be with enough credits to graduate a year early,” Fisher said. “Now I’m in Jump Scholars Program at USM for the summertime. So I’ll go into the school year with nine credit hours already.”

Last year Fisher placed second in the club’s oratorical contest and chose to apply for the scholarship this year. Gabrielle Terrett, who won the Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Ben Brown Memorial Scholarship worth $500, said she also has participated in the oratorical and essay contests in years past.

She is going to major in mass communications at Alcorn State University.

“I’ll probably use the money for books and other things that I’ll need for class,” she said.

Other Warren Central High students received the Hattie Knox Memorial Scholarship worth $500 to Alexis Whitfield, the VHBC Chicago Chapter Scholarship worth $500 to Fred Butler and the Delores Thomas Bullock Scholarship worth $500 to Ja’Merica Dixon.

The Theresa P. Williams Memorial Scholarship worth $500 went to Na’Keia Stewart of Vicksburg High. She said the scholarship program is a great way for the club to give back to the community. Stewart will attend Alcorn State University and major in English education and business, but she also wants to pursue culinary school.

“It will help me in order to achieve my dreams of becoming an English educator and attending culinary school,” she said. “I want to own my own restaurant because I really like to cook.”

Other Vicksburg High students received the Mozella Flaggs Memorial Scholarship worth $500 to Cameron Cooper, the St. Mary’s Catholic Church Scholarship worth $500 to Elishia Howard, the Edward and Ernestine Williams Scholarship worth $500 to DeShun Younger, the ARL Project Book Scholarship worth $300 to DeMetris Valentine and the Gloria Jean Robinson-Rankin Memorial Book Scholarship worth $300 to Marshall Banks.

Trena Warren, principal of A.W. Watson Junior Elementary in Port Gibson, spoke at Saturday’s brunch and gave encouragement. She said her job was to put the recent graduates’ mind at ease about their future and let them know their success was their responsibility.

“Success: if it is to be, when it is to be, it’s up to me. That was the class motto of my graduating class,” Warren said.

Her advice came in three parts— seek God, set goals and be surround by positive people.

“Never stop striving to achieve, to grow and to make yourself better,” Warren said. “The journey to success lasts an entire lifetime. Once you reach your destination you stop living. The keys to being successful lies within you.”

Oratorical contest winners were in third Aaron Terrett, second Nikirah Bridges and first Amia Fisher. Essay contest winners were honorable mentions Jazlyn Donald and Samuel Terrett, third Kennedi Fitzgerald, second Anthony Lumpkin and first Anita Reed.

The club also held a dinner-dance banquet Saturday night and honored Humanitarian of the Year Alonzo Stevens, Lifetime Achievement Award winners Edward and Ernestine Williams and Business of the Year Linda Fondren of Shape Up Sisters.