WS Chronicle

First Waughtown Baptist Church (FWBC) honored 13 high school and college graduates and graduation candidates for 2018 during its annual College Day service on Sunday, May 20 during the 10:45 am service.

Minister James DuBose Jr., director of operations for Galilee Missionary Baptist Church and an associate athletics director at WSSU, delivered the morning message: “I Almost … A Graduate’s Testimony,” using Psalm 73 as his reference Scripture. This is a psalm that examines a believer’s faith in the face of personal turmoil.

DuBose talked about the difficulties that students often face in the pursuit of a diploma or degree. Using his own experience as a student, he said that being a believer does not shield you from struggles, but it can prepare you to deal with them and to appreciate the journey, even if other students seem to be having an easier time.

“We may not be at the mountaintop yet,” he said, “but at least we made it out of the valley.
“Satan desires that we look horizontally at others. He would have us look at what other students have done. We’ve got to flip it around and look at things vertically,” he continued. “Keep looking up and you can look over what others have and look at Christ.”

DuBose assured the graduates that despite the trials they might encounter in school and in life, there is hope in “God’s presence, divine providence, and power. As long as you’re in the almost,” he said, “you can declare you’re not in the all over.”

Scholars who were recognized are as follows:

*Ja’Nia Barber, daughter of Ava Boulware, will graduate from Winston-Salem Preparatory Academy and attend UNC-Greensboro to major in political science.

*Máya Bryant, daughter of Tawanna Thomas, graduated from North Carolina State University with a master’s degree in physiology.

*Kimani Carter, son of Mr. & Mrs. Thurmond R. Carter, will graduate from Atkins High School and will attend Morehouse College to major in political science.

*Minister Cynthia Dixon, a teacher at North Forsyth High School, received a master’s degree in executive leadership from Gardner-Webb University.

*Danielle Frazier, daughter of Kesha Frazier, graduated from Forsyth Technical Community College (FTCC) with an associate’s degree in nursing. She has been accepted into the Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

*Jonae Hanna, a principal intern in the Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools, graduated from North Carolina A&T State University (NC A&T) with a master’s degree in school administration.

*Minister Myrtle Hairston graduated from WSSU with a degree in business administration.
*Justin-Parker Hines, son of Carletta Hines and William Anthony, will graduate from R. J. Reynolds High School and plans to enlist in the U.S. Navy and, ultimately, pursue a career in law enforcement.

*Christian Martin, son of Mr. & Mrs. Dale Martin Jr., will graduate from West Forsyth High School and attend N.C. A&T in the College of Business and Economics.

*Emily Moses, daughter of Tawanna Thomas, will graduate from North Davidson High School and attend FTCC in the fall.

*Kesha Coleman Simon graduated from FTCC with an associate’s degree in early childhood education. She has been accepted to WSSU, where she will pursue a bachelor’s degree in birth-kindergarten education.

*Kenya Smith graduated from WSSU with a degree in interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in education.

*Joshua Young, son of Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Small and Mr. Zedrick Young, will graduate from Walkertown High School will attend North Carolina Central University, where he will major in English.