WS Chronicle

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SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

First Waughtown Baptist Church (FWBC) honored six 2016 high school and college graduates during its annual College Day service Sunday, May 15. One of the high school honorees received a $1,500 scholarship offered in memory of for-mer Pastor E. L. Grant and church musician Mrs. Carrie Bitting.

Scholarship recipient Bria Lindsay will graduate from West Forsyth High School and attend Western Carolina University to major in forensic science. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Lindsay, she earned the award on the basis of her academic performance, church and community service, letters of recommendation, and a personal essay.

Other graduates are:

*Maya Bryant, who received the Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia.  The daughter of Towanna Thomas, she plans to attend medical school to become a pediatric surgeon.

*Treyandrea Farid, who will graduate from Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy. Her legal guardians are Brenda Jackson and Dianna Jackson, and she will be enrolling at Appalachian State University to major in accounting. Treyandrea attends Emmanuel Baptist Church and participates in the FWBC Teens of Purpose college preparatory ministry.

*Antonia Hicks, who will graduate from R. J. Reynolds High School and attend Winston-Salem State University to major in nursing. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Antonio Hicks.

and major in biology.  She is the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Haywood Hanna.

*Olivia Wilkes, who will graduate from R. J. Reynolds High School with plans to attend North Carolina Central University and major in physical therapy. She is the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Philemon Wilkes.

Dr. Felecia Piggott-Long, an English teacher at Carver High School as well as an actress, playwright, journalist, author and youth minister at Emmanuel Baptist Church, delivered the morning message.

Drawing from the biblical account of brothers Esau and Jacob, Piggott-Long spoke on the subject “Resist Being a Sell Out Because Your Birthright Could Be Your Way Out.”  As she peppered her presentation with rhymes from hip hop and classic African-American poetry, she called the graduates a special generation and charged them to continue to rise up and work for the cause of making the world better for everyone.

Piggott-Long told the congregation that it is important to know where you came from and to use the talents and skills available to you to continue to rise.  Faith, she said, is your greatest inheritance.