A local high school graduate added one more accomplishment to her impressive resume.
In addition to turning her tassell at Thursday’s graduation ceremony, North Edgecombe High’s Kalyn Johnson also was recently awarded the historic Annie and Sallie Ann Wheeler Memorial Scholarship.
Tenikka Smith Hughes, the Wheeler Scholarship’s communications coordinator, said in a press release that Johnson was named the winner during an awards program at North Edgecombe High last month.
Scholarship co-founder Linwood E. Hinton and Lily Wheeler Lowe, the mother of scholarship co-founder Jamaal D. Pittman, announced the winner and made special presentations to all the applicants.
Hinton and Pittman are North Edgecombe High graduates. The scholarship is named in honor of their late great-aunts, Annie and Sallie Ann Wheeler. The two sisters raised three generations of proud North Edgecombe High Warriors and devoted their lives to ensuring the children in their family had access to education and academic opportunities.
When reflecting on Johnson’s scholarship application, Pittman said, “Kalyn is an exceptional student and already demonstrates a deep desire to be of service to her community in a lasting and meaningful way.”
Hinton added, “Kalyn is a well-rounded student building a strong foundation for success in her future pursuits.”
During the awards program, Johnson received a souvenir check, noting her $4,000 scholarship award.
Four additional scholarship applicants were also recognized by the Wheeler Scholarship Committee. Zykendrick Hyman, Na’Siyah Fountain, Angel Sharpe and Zyrian Pittman were presented with certificates recognizing their academic accomplishments. Scholarship applicants are required to have a grade point average of at least 2.5 and provide evidence of strength of character and a commitment to helping others. They must also have plans to enroll in a two-year or four-year college or university.
The scholarship endowment, believed to be the first of its kind established specifically for North Edgecombe High students, is awarded annually to a graduating senior. Donors are welcome to support the scholarship fund, and tax-deductible donations can be made by visiting www.WheelerScholarship.com.
Pittman, class of 1999, is an award-winning copy editor and screenwriter who resides in Los Angeles, Calif. He is a graduate of Morehouse College and the author of The Copy Editor’s Life(Style) Guide.
U.S. Marine Gunnery Sgt. Linwood E. Hinton, class of 2008, is a combat veteran and a poet. He is currently serving in the military as Operations Chief for Marine Aircraft Group 39 aboard Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, Calif. Hinton is a graduate of Ashford University and Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.
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