Joemari Starks is one of six Paducah Tilghman High School juniors to be named PaxtonScholars this year through the McCracken County Community Career Endowment Inc.
He calls the achievement one of the biggest of his young life.
“It made me feel really good,” he said. “I feel like I’ve accomplished something great.”
Starks joins fellow PaxtonScholars Christopher Allen, Coy Booker, Justice Campbell, Dasia Garland and Kauri Whitfield in Class XII of the PaxtonScholars program.
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 later in that semester.
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.
In previous years, the scholars would receive the laptop in their senior year of high school, but this year, their received the laptop immediately.
“I’ve been using that for my schoolwork,” Starks said. “It’s really nice.
“I feel like (the scholarship) helps me better myself, helps me go harder. I feel like it will help me go further in college.”
Starks said he would like to go to the University of Kentucky and study sports communications. He said that is one of a number of career ideas.
“I’d like to get into broadcasting and interview NBA players,” he said.
Starks is a member of the Boys to Gentlemen Club at PTHS and attends Mount Sinai Missionary Baptist Church. He has spoken with children at the daycare center there about working hard in their classes.
“Boys to Gentlemen shows us how to be better men,” he said. “We go on field trips and learn how to lead by example and encourage others on leading better lives.”
Starks is also a member of the PTHS football and track and field teams, and said he hopes to also get an athletics scholarship.
Starks is the son of Terica and Tommie Starks of Paducah.
MCCCE Inc. also has a mentoring and tutoring programs, partnering with eight area organizations to provide services to grades 1 through 12.
Those who want to contribute to the Fred and Peggy Paxton Endowment or MCCCE Inc. may mail donations to MCCCE Inc., 300 S. Third St., Paducah, KY, 42003. Its office is in the Commerce Center.
Checks should be made out to MCCCE Inc. and may be earmarked for the PaxtonScholars program or any other program funded by MCCCE Inc. in the memo line.
Applications for the MCCCE Inc. Educational Assistance Scholarships are now available. More information about MCCCE Inc. can be found at its website, mccce.org, or by calling Mitchell at 270-519-9101.