Phillis Wheatley Center awards scholarships
- 10 minutes ago
- 3 min read
The Greenville Phillis Wheatley Community Center today awarded $10,000 in scholarships to four Greenville high school students. Two were present, and the rest were busy with their schoolwork.
Antoinette Hall, director of the Youth Program, announced that the winners were Morgan Zimmerman and Hudson Medcalf, who received the Randy Jackson scholarships; and Benjamin Luines and Elizabeth Chinn, who received the McKnight/Norris scholarships.
Impact speaker: Brent O. E. Clinkscale
Some longtime residents of Greenville will remember Clinkscale as Duke University's starting quarterback.
The high point of Clinkscale’s playing days, he recalls, was on Sept. 21, 1980, when he threw for 232 yards and three scores against 19th-ranked Auburn. As for his academics, Clinkscale distinguished himself by becoming president of the Duke Bar Association and serving on the Moot Court Board.
Clinkscale has since distinguished himself as a Super Attorney and partner in various law firms. Now he heads his own operation, the Clinkscale Global ADR.
Clinkscale stressed the value of education, vision, and consistency. Thus, removing the need for millions of dollars to build a lucrative business.
He has always been far more impressed by the force of the mind than the size of the investment capital.
Ray Lattimore, PWCC board member
Lattimore expressed gratitude to the many donors over the years who have funded the center, thus building it into the robust community it is today.
Phillis Wheatley, the founder of the center, also created one of the first libraries for Black people in the country 106 years ago.
Lattimore said donors wrested the center from a dilapidated condition, where buckets caught rainwater leaking from cracked ceilings, infused $150,000 in emergency funding, garnered county and United Way funding, and rebuilt the vibrant infrastructure we see today at the center.
During that episode, Lattimore said that he had never prayed so hard in his life. “Please, Lord, send us in the right direction. Donors have always been vital for the center’s creation, growth, and success. Without you, there would be no center today. We owe you, donors, our deepest gratitude.”
Ted Williams, the board chair
Williams stressed the importance of individual donors, who make up the largest part of the financial support group.
Darren L. Wright
New Executive Director of PWCC
With a broad, toothy smile, Wright thundered into a rousing poem by R. L. Sharpe.
“Isn’t it strange how princes and kings,
And clowns that caper in sawdust rings,
And common people, like you and me,
Are builders of eternity?
Each is given a list of rules,
A shapeless mass; a bag of tools.
And each must fashion, ere life is flown,
A stumbling block or a Stepping-Stone.
— R. L. Sharpe.
Many wondered if this new director would infuse the center with energy and focus. He certainly got everyone’s attention.
Before the audience could wonder about what would be next, he told us:
“Don’t just walk away inspired; tread into the future with renewed vigor to build on what we see before us for a better tomorrow for all.”
