by David Snow
The Paducah Sun
02.26.22
Used with permission.
Paducah Tilghman High School junior Justice Campbell is one of six students named as PaxtonScholars last December. She said she was shocked and surprised to be named to the honor, and plans to use its benefits to pursue a career in mechanical engineering.
Each scholar receives a laptop computer and is eligible for up to $700 in each of their final two years of high school and first year of college. The amount of the scholarship is based on each student’s grade-point average.
Campbell said she is using the computer to search for other scholarship opportunities.
“And it’s been a really good help for my schoolwork,” she said. “I’m not able to do some things on my school laptop, so I use the laptop provided through PaxtonScholars.”
Campbell is a member of the Student Equity Council, an organization that began this year to promote equity and inclusion throughout the school. She is also a member of the African American Leadership Club, National Honor Society, and Beta Club.
She is also on the track and field team, where she throws the discus, and PTHS marching band, where she plays the flute and will play snare drums. She was named to the First District All-District Band and recently tried out for the Quad State Band.
She has also taken part in the Adventures In Math and Science (AIMS) program at Murray State University.
Campbell joins fellow PaxtonScholars Christopher Allen, Coy Booker, Dasia Garland, Joemari Starks and Kauri Whitfield in Class XII of the PaxtonScholars program.
She wants to major in mechanical engineering.
“I have my mind set on Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, but I’m pretty sure they don’t have my major,” she said. “So, right now, I’m kind of leaning toward Georgia Tech or I might go to Lexington and go to the University of Kentucky there.
“I haven’t quite singled out exactly what I want to do (for a career).”
Campbell said earning the PaxtonScholars honors was a source of pride.
“I’m really grateful for the opportunity to be a PaxtonScholar,” she said. “I really feel great about it. I’m really excited to see what else there is in store for me.”
Campbell is the daughter of LaToya and Joshua Campbell of Paducah.
The scholarships are distributed through the McCracken County Community Care Endowment Inc., known as MCCCE Inc., and overseen by director Don Mitchell. The $1 million endowment was started by Fred Paxton and his wife, Peggy.
Fred Paxton was a former chairman of the board and president of Paxton Media Group — which owns The Paducah Sun and WPSD-TV — and was a publisher for The Sun.
The PaxtonScholars program began in 2011, and high school students apply for the scholarships in the fall of their junior year. The scholars are announced in November.