West Side church awards $50K in scholarships to college students
Laila Guy wants to be there for those who are mourning their loved ones.
She hopes to one day open her own funeral home to help people through the pain of losing a loved one. But to get there the 19-year-old needs to continue her studies at Malcolm X College, where she's majoring in mortuary science. But her books are expensive.
That's why she's grateful for the money she was awarded through a scholarship program by Greater St. John Bible Church in Austin. It allows her to focus on her schoolwork and not worry about how she will cover the cost of her required reading.
"Without the scholarship it would be very hard to get these books," Guy said.
On Sunday, Guy was one of more than 30 students pursuing higher education who were awarded scholarships ranging from $1,500 to $2,000 at a community event at Christ the King Jesuit College Prep in Austin.
These students are either high school graduates, already enrolled in university or are pursuing master's degrees. The scholarships handed out Sunday totaled more than $50,000. The annual gathering included raffles, dance performances, a local business vendor fair and basketball exhibition games with community members.
The Rev. Ira Acree, senior pastor of Greater St. John Church, said the scholarships offer more than just financial assistance for students, it offers community that they can fall back on. Many of the recipients are from the Austin area.
"It's not just come get a thousand dollars or fifteen-hundred dollars and then we don't see you anymore, there is a network in place where they can connect and get some type of support or direction," Acree said. "It's so uplifting to know that you're not alone."
Acree said the scholarships have been awarded since 2001. They are funded through a mix of donations from dedicated church members and local business partners. He said proof of the scholarships' impact was evident during Sunday's church service. Several past recipients were in attendance.
"Men and women got up and talked about how they were now an entrepreneur or a schoolteacher. Another gentleman was working on his doctorate degree in medicine," Acree said.
Henry Johnson, 22, hopes to be one of those success stories. He's working toward his master's degree in criminal justice at Liberty University in Virginia. Johnson's goal is to become a defense attorney to represent those in underserved communities who can't afford legal assistance.
Johnson said he wasn't sure if he would have been able to complete his coursework without the scholarship.
"Books were a very expensive fee for me this year, and luckily I obtained this scholarship and it'll help me pay for books and my laptop because without that I wouldn't be able to attend classes and do any work," Johnson said.
Johnson said the church scholarship gives hope to students who want to continue their education but aren't sure how they'll pay for it.
"It gives that feeling that I can do this, I can be what I want to be, I can go to school and do more," Johnson said.
Acree added that the scholarship was also an opportunity to combat violence in the Austin area. It encourages young people to stick with their studies and helps them overcome the financial barrier of attending university.
"One of the ways we fight back is by investing in futures, not funerals," Acree said.