Local $6,000 Need-Based Scholarship Recipient

Kendra is a 2012 graduate of Hobbton High School. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Garrett Underwood of New Grove, North Carolina. She plans to attend North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina to earn a degree in Nursing. At Hobbton, she maintained a weighted GPA of 3.83 and unweighted GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale while participating in many extra-curricular activities. Her honors and positions include: Junior Varsity and Varsity Cheerleading Captain, Woodwind Ensemble Section Leader, Softball Co-Captain for the 2009-2010 season, Inductee in the Career and Technical Honor Society, Inductee in the International Thespian Society, Beta Club Inductee, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Photographer and Web Designer, Member of Key Club, Drama Club and HOSA Club, SGA Officer, 2010 All Star Sophomore, Director’s Award 2010, Miss Freshman, Sophomore and Junior, 2011 member of UNC-Pembroke Honor Band, 2011 member of UNC-Wilmington Honor Band and a 2012 member of UNC-Pembroke Honor Band.

Kendra’s Math teacher wrote, “She is an outgoing young lady that I feel will be able to function well in a academic setting. She is easily motivated and pushed to higher levels. She is not easily influenced and understands that hard work and dedication are keys to success. She can be trusted with any task or challenge knowing that she will go above and beyond what is required in order to succeed.” Her high school counselor adds that, “She is a caring individual who accepts the challenge to learn, works with students from various backgrounds and cultures, displays great leadership skills regardless of the circumstances and she is determined to make an indelible contribution to the academic community.”

To the question, Why are you pursuing higher education?, Kendra responded, “Earning a basic education has always been an important aspect of my life. My parents, who only had the opportunity to earn an Associate Degree, encouraged me to achieve more – to maintain high grades and to pursue my education to the fullest. In this economy, education may well be the deciding factor between the employed and the unemployed – between success and failure.”

Kendra is also the inaugural recipient of the $500 Estelle and Marion Chestnutt Memorial Scholarship in Nursing being awarded this year by the Chestnutt Family.