MHA awards scholarship to Meridian senior
May 1—Meridian High School senior Kenaysha Gale is heading to college after being named this year's recipient of the Jeanell E. Kidd Hope VI Scholarship Wednesday by Meridian Housing Authority.
Gale, who is set to graduate with a 4.06 GPA and a composite ACT score of 24, is a resident of Eastern Gardens, which is one of MHA's affordable housing communities. She plans to head to Hattiesburg in the fall to attend the University of Southern Mississippi, where she will pursue a degree in criminal justice.
At a press conference Wednesday, MHA Executive Director Ron Turner said awarding the scholarship is something his organization looks forward to each year. Kidd, for whom the scholarship is named, was both a former MHA commissioner and a fierce advocate for education, he said, and awarding the funds to a deserving student each year is both a celebration of the student's accomplishments and a tribute to Kidd's memory.
"It's this time of the year that we get very excited about investing in the lives of families that are residing right here in our nine affordable housing units," he said. "We feel that the investment that the board of commissioners have allowed us to do and implement, we feel that it guarantees a bright future for these young people."
Turner said being able to award the scholarship each year and help a MHA resident go to college is an indescribable feeling. It's an honor, he said, to be able to give back to the community.
"It's an amazing feeling. It's something that you just really can't describe," he said.
Meridian High School Principal Angela McQuarley said she has known Gale for years having served in various positions throughout Meridian Public School District over a 30-year career. Gale, she said, is a leader and is engaged in the classroom.
"She just exemplifies what you guys are looking for in a student," she said. "And when I found out she was one of the ones, I told Ron, Mr. Turner, that they could not find a better person."
Wilbert Jones, who serves as chairman of Meridian Housing Authority's board, said he had not met Gale prior to Wednesday's press conference but after just a moment, he knew she was the right choice for this year's award.
"I met Ms. Gale just a few seconds ago," he said. "She didn't have to speak. I knew this was a good choice."
Gale said receiving the scholarship was a great honor, and she wanted to thank the housing authority, her mother, her teachers and school administrators and everyone who encouraged and pushed her to do her best.
"I just want to thank everybody," she said. "I'm just so grateful."
The endowment fund and scholarship was created with funding MHA received in 2004 to revitalize the Victory Village community, Turner said. The $17.4 million grant gave the organization a choice to use some of that money to create an endowment, and the MHA Board of Commissioners agreed to the plan.
"They could have said, 'no, we're going to use it for bricks and mortars,' but they decided they wanted to use it for our young people to see them excel," he said.
The endowment, which was renamed in honor of Kidd in 2009, has since awarded scholarships to 24 MHA residents totaling more than $1 million.
Through the scholarship, MHA will provide Gale with $7,500 per semester for the next four years for a total award of $60,000.
Contact Thomas Howard at thoward@themeridianstar.com
