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Scene & Heard - Crosby Scholars program celebrates this year's crop of seniors
Ed Brown Photo
State Rep. Dale Folwell and his wife, Synthia, attend the celebration.
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Published: May 6, 2008
I've found a new energy source. Take a ballroom, fill it with 220 high-school seniors about a month from graduation and close the door. I was so pumped up Tuesday night after attending the Crosby Scholars Community Partnership Senior Gala at the Village Inn and Golf Conference Center in Clemmons, that I wasn't sure that I would ever sleep again.
The Crosby Scholars Community Partnership was started 15 years ago as a nonprofit organization that prepares students academically, financially and personally for college. Since it began, the program has helped more than 4,000 middle- and high-school students each year.
Marty Edwards, the secretary of the Crosby Scholars board and immediate past president, welcomed the crowd of about 400, which included students, friends and family. "With three daughters in public school, I know this is an exciting time of year," she said. "You can feel confident that you're in life for the long haul because you have made it through all the ups and downs." She commended the students for their work as Crosby Scholars and wished them well. "The community is much better because of you," she said.
Edwards recognized state Rep. Dale Folwell, R-Forsyth, and his wife, Synthia, in the crowd. Their daughter, Anna, is the president of the Crosby Scholars at Reynolds High School but couldn't attend the gala. Her soccer game had been rescheduled because of rain the night before. "This is a wonderful opportunity for kids across the county to come together to learn to deal with conflict resolution and time management," Mr. Folwell said. "It gives them wonderful tools."
Judge and Gwen Kornegay were on hand to honor their daughter, Judith, a senior at East Forsyth HIgh School. The Kornegays understand the importance of education. Mr. Kornegay is an assistant principal at Hanes Middle School and his wife teaches at Petree Elementary School, where Judith volunteered as a tutor. Her father said that the work made her "more accountable for responsibilities." Judith, a Crosby Scholar for seven years, said that the volunteer work made her value what she has. "The program means a lot to me," she said.
Speaking for the Crosby Scholars, Jasmine Pitt, a senior from West Forsyth High School, thanked the volunteers, board of directors, sponsors, high-school liaisons, principals and administrative staff, and "last but not least," the parents. "Thanks for believing in us," she said.
Pitt introduced the guest speaker, Karen McNeil-Miller, the president of Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust and a member of the Crosby Scholars board.
"Let me be the first to congratulate you. You did it," she said. "And to the parents and grandparents, you all did more." To the seniors she said, "Somebody loved you a lot, and you'll never be able to pay it back. But you need to try." The audience responded with heartfelt applause.
McNeil-Miller talked about leadership, illustrating her message with The Wizard of Oz, a lesson in the importance of brains, heart, courage, destination and friends. She began with, "Mama's not going to be there in college to wake you up every morning, so use your brain." She ended with, "Now close your eyes and click your heels three times and repeat ‘There's no place like my Crosby home.'" And they did.
"No place" indeed. In a wonderful example of how the program nurtures its students, Mona Lovett, the executive director of the program, presented the Crosby Scholars pin early to Lauren McGirr, a senior at West Forsyth, so she could leave for her soccer game. Lauren, who has participated in the program since sixth grade, said that the organization prepared her for college. "Everyone is so willing to help," she said. Her mother, Liz, agreed that she and her husband, John, found the program invaluable as they assisted their first child in choosing the right college and going through the application process.
After McGirr left for her game, Barbara Masi, the assistant director, joined Lovett in recognizing the senior-class presidents from each high school. They also presented the Executive Director's Awards to 63 seniors who have participated in the program without interruption since sixth grade.
Chris Fox, a board member, recognized students who were first in their class at the end of the first semester, calling that distinction "truly a tremendous accomplishment." The students are Phillip James, Darian LaNeave, Hannah Bagley, Brian So and Chautney McMillan. Fox also presented the Harry Scofield Book Scholarship to Roman Nelson.
Paul Puryear, the assistant superintendent of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County high schools, recognized the Top 10 Crosby Scholars. They rank in the top 10 of the senior class of Crosby Scholars, based on their cumulative weighted grade-point average at the end of the first semester of their senior year. They are Hannah Bagley, Paige Wilkinson, Elizabeth Huber, Thomas Willauer, Katherine Kanipe, Katharine Branoff, Robbie Palm, Jingyi Yang and Cameron Lambe.
Michelle Healy, a senior at Reynolds, won the Michael Nachman Scholarship, which is awarded to the senior with the highest cumulative weighted grade-point average through the first semester of the current school year. She will receive $2,000 for each of her four years of college.
Healy was joined by her parents, Joan and Pat, and her brother Tommy. "I'm completely honored and so excited," Healy said about receiving the scholarship. She said that she has participated in the program since she was a seventh-grader. "If you can stick with it, it's really worth it in your senior year," she said. "It helped me stay on track."
That track presented several directions, including the ones taken by a mother who went to Georgetown and a father who chose Duke. What's a girl to do? Michelle will head to UNC Chapel Hill this fall.
As a fitting end to the awards program, Lovett asked all the parents to stand and said, "Students, thank your parents for getting you this far." And, they did, with robust applause.
□ In last week's column about Second Harvest's Empty Bowls, I mistakenly identified Rep. Larry Womble as Ralph Womble. It was Rep. Larry Womble who did a remarkable job of serving soup at the event, only three weeks after hip surgery.
■ Have a social or charity activity that you would like Scene & Heard to share with Journal readers? E-mail features@wsjournal.com and type "Scene" in the subject line or call 727-7339. You may contact Leigh Somerville McMillan directly by e-mail at lsomervi@bellsouth.net.
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