The Hinds Agricultural High School Class of 1975 believes the gift of a scholarship isn’t just a donation.
“We believe it’s an investment into the goals and dreams of every student,” said Col. Eddie Palmer, Scholarship Fund Coordinator for the group, which has held reunions annually to help raise funds for a scholarship in their name. “It implies that we care and want to help those striving for a better future.”
This is the group’s initial scholarship as a class, with more planned for years to come. Palmer said the gift of the educational assistance “is our way of acknowledging what permeates from within, and a desire to illuminate and remember our former high school.
“During our tenure we learned the value of an education, and with that knowledge, it instilled a sense of belonging and a foundation for growth and maturity,” he said. “Education doesn’t guarantee success, but it provides a building stone and pathway to climb the ladder. This scholarship will help to ensure the school’s legacy will have a lasting effect in the communities where education, is so vital.”
The collaboration with the Hinds Community College Foundation to establish the scholarship specifically benefits eligible students who are Hinds County residents and students at the Utica Campus.
Tyler Boone of Byram is this year’s recipient of the scholarship and is studying Barbering.
“My instructors encouraged me to sign up,” Boone said. “I used the money to get my kit for my barbering classes. It was a big help.”
Eligible students must be enrolled full-time at Utica, which means 15 or more credit hours per semester and successfully completing at least 12 hours per semester. They must maintain a 2.5 GPA or better and can be studying any academic or career and technical field, among other criteria.