| Students award Baker scholarships
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| Published Thursday, June 26, 2008 |
RALEIGH - The
Harriet B. Webster Task Force for Student Success held its annual Appreciation and Scholarship Program last month at Saint Matthew AME Church.
A special highlight of the program was the awarding of the first John Haywood Baker Jr. Scholarships. Four deserving graduating seniors received scholarships: Chelsea Williams and Christian Robinson, Southeast Raleigh High; Calvin Arrington Jr., East
Wake High; and Jasper Thompson, Garner Senior. Recipients are headed for college in the fall at Spelman College, East Carolina and N.C. A&T State
University.
Baker Jr. was the first elected black sheriff in North Carolina and in Wake County. He served for 24 years.
A graduate of J.W. Ligon High and a man of many first, he was the first African-American to be drafted by a professional football
team from an HBCU. He was also a graduate of North Carolina College, now know as N.C. Central University.
The Rev. Marion B. Robinson, who co-founded the Task Force for Student Success along with Baker, Jr., presented each graduate with a
certificate and a check for $1,000. Johnita Baker Williams, daughter of Baker, was on hand to congratulate the winners. Donations to
the John Haywood Baker Jr. Scholarship Fund may be sent to: John Haywood Baker Jr. Scholarship, 1629 Bennett Street, Raleigh, NC 27604.
• Recipients of Harriet B. Webster Scholarships for the 2007-08 school year are: Ridwanna Allen, East Wake High; Chytrell Perry, Leesville
Road High; Shemeka Thorpe, East Wake High; and Ashton Young, Garnet Magnet High. Scholarships in the amount of $500 were presented to recipients by Dr.
Alice Garrett and William *%%+!%, past presidents of the Harriet B. Webster Task Force.
Since its beginning in 2000, the Task Force has awarded in excess of $25,000 in scholarships to deserving graduates in Wake County Public
Schools.
