‘Deserving Christian youth’ net a grand for college

By Bryan McKenzie

Published: June 27, 2008

There are many ways to get into college, from hitting a ball or tackling a large man running at full speed to studying hard to reciting poetry while wearing a beret and smoking a fancy French cigarette.

Even going to church doesn’t hurt; just ask seven local high school students recently awarded a cool grand each for their college education courtesy of the Brandon Jones Memorial Scholarship.

“The scholarship was started by Zion Baptist Church in North Garden in memory of Brandon Jones,” explained Bernice Johnson. “Brandon was 13 when he died of cancer and he was very active and well-liked in his church. He was active in school and the community and he had a great voice.”

Brandon died nine years ago of cancer. Members of his church wanted to remember him and have others remember him as well. That’s how they came up with the scholarship.

“We did whatever we could to raise money and still do,” Mrs. Johnson said. “We hold bake sales or dinners or anything we can think of. Some of the committee members will have an idea and bring it to the rest of us and, if it looks like it’s something we can do and earn some money, we’ll do it.”

An unenviable decision

The scholarship is awarded to “deserving Christian youth in their pursuit of higher education to support their educational endeavors,” according to the scholarship committee. The committee awards the stipends based on a student’s community and school involvement, grade point average and participation in church.

This year’s winners are Amber Austin, Monticello High School; Bekinwari Idoniboye, Charlottesville High School; Sarah Miller, Albemarle High School; Christopher Quarles, Monticello High School; Dorothy Sandridge, Albemarle High School; Darrius Turner, Albemarle High School and Brittany Woodfolk, Monticello High School.

Each student was awarded $1,000 toward the freshman year in college.

“We started out nine years ago with a $250 but over the past few years, it’s built up,” Mrs. Johnson said. “The community has been very supportive.”

Although Brandon attended a Baptist church, the scholarship committee has made sure the awards are nondenominational. The awards have gone to students at a variety of churches, including Methodist and Catholic churches.

‘Active in their churches’

“It doesn’t matter what the church is,” Mrs. Johnson said. “What we want to do is reward youth who are active in their churches and doing well in school and the community. We also hope that we’ll be able to help students who really need it financially, but that’s not the criteria.”

Next year the scholarship leaders are hoping to pull out all of the stops.

“It will be 10 years and we’re going to try and do as much as we can to honor Brandon,” Mrs. Johnson said.