More Than 500 Gather For NCMPEF Breakfast

By Herman L. Ward
Special to the New Journal and Guide

The New Chesapeake Men Progress Education Foundation Scholarships and Awards Breakfast drew a huge crowd for their eighth annual Scholarship and Awards Breakfast held at the Chesapeake
Conference Center. Mr. Charles Bradford Hunter, Vice President of Commercial Lending, mesmerized the audience with his passionate motivating speech to the Scholarship and Award recipients. During his motivational speech, Mr. Hunter told the students to be “courageous, persistent, goal oriented, and to treat all persons with dignity and respect.”

Christopher Newport University President Paul Trible introduced Brad, a CNU grad who also serves on the Board of Visitors of that prestigious university. Seven of the 21 scholarship recipients, representing each of the high schools in Chesapeake, received $1,000 scholarships to attend major colleges and universities. The seven recipients are as follows: Keith Antonio Winder, Devin Lawrence Jackson, Aaron Victor Brown, Damian Macaria Njuguna, Kevin Tyrone Maxwell II, Shelton Lee Hood and Barrell Laquinton Davis, Jr. The remaining 14 recipients received $200 book stipends.

Sheriff Jim O’Sullivan was the recipient of the first Community Service Award given by the NCMPEF and former member Dr. James Jackson, a lifetime member of the organization, received the Member of the Year Award given posthumously in his memory. Dr. Jackson’s family attended the breakfast and received the plaque given in his honor for outstanding work with the NCMPEF during his lifetime.

NCMFPEC President, Dr. Bill Ward was pleased with the participation and the excellent choices of young black males who received the scholarships and awards for this academic school year and he commended the Chesapeake School system for the great job they are doing with our students.