Local $6,000 Need-Based Scholarship Recipient

Joy is a 2015 graduate of Clinton High School, Clinton, North Carolina. She plans to attend UNC-G – the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina to earn a degree in  Therapeutic  Recreation.

At Clinton High, she maintained a weighted GPA of 4.24 out of a possible high of 4.94 as a Beta Club member and a North Carolina Academic Scholar. Joy was a Varsity Cheerleader, Junior Varsity and Varsity Basketball player, member of the Ebony Club, President of Health Occupations Student Association, member of the Science Club, the CTE Honor Society, the Thespian Honors Society while achieving Academic Excellence from grades nine through grade twelve.

When asked to rate the student as realistically as you can in comparison with your college preparatory students, Joy’s school counselor’s choice was Outstanding for each category. Additionally, the counselor wrote, “Joy is an extremely gifted and talented young lady. She strives to do her best in every endeavor. As evidenced by her grades,, she is an excellent student. She will certainly be successful at any college she chooses to attend. I enthusiastically recommend her for this scholarship. She would represent your organization well.

Inquiries about Joy’s character and academic promise yielded the following: Joy is a very bright , hardworking student. She is creative, shares her abilities with her peers and is a leader in clubs. She is honest and straight-forward refusing to be less than honest with herself and others. Her Theater Arts and English Teacher noted that Joy is a natural scholar, motivated to work and submit her best work. She is again creative utilizing many ideas to enhance her work products, She functions like a champ in the academic setting possessing the drive and ability to succeed well at her choice university. Joy accepts responsibility for her actions, is perceptive, encourages her peers to meet their responsibilities and willingly does what needs to be done.

To the question, Pursuing A College Degree, Is It Worth It?, Joy acknowledged that there are ways- legal and illegal- to earn a fast buck, but it is not worth it. She has held positions in the fast food industry fully giving her kindness, gratitude, hard work and dedication for minimum wages. She cannot and will not do that for the rest of her life. She refuses to dwell on where she currently is, but where she aspires to be. Joy knows that that it’s totally up to the person to have the willpower and the will to accept the responsibilities that come with pursuing that college degree. She loves a challenge. She simply states, Show me the barbells.”