The McCracken County Community Career Endowment has chosen four Paducah Tilghman juniors as Class XVI of the PaxtonScholars Program.
Participants in the 2025 class include Zoey Gaines, Brayden James, Chloe Jones and Andrew Travis.
Zoey is a member of the PTHS NJROTC. She is a member of the PTHS track and basketball teams. After graduation she plans to attend a four-year university and major in nursing while continuing to participate in ROTC with plans to join the US Navy. Her guardian is Joelvetta Sims. Her parents are Jasmine Sims and Marvin Gaines.
Brayden is a member of the PTHS baseball team, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Beta Club, NSHSS , Pep Club, PTHS Student Ambassadors, and student representative on the District Improvement Committee. He is an active member at First Baptist Paducah. He plans to attend a four year university after graduation. His parents are Chris and Jenny James.
Chloe is a member of the PTHS SEAC, cheer team, FBLA, Beta Club, track team, and PTHS Student Ambassadors. She is an active member of Immanuel Baptist Church. She plans to go to college and major in pre-med with the goal of becoming a Nurse Practitioner. Her mother is Shelley Jones and her father is Jared Jones.
Andrew is involved in the PTHS AALC, SEAC, Environmental Club and DnD club. He plans to attend a four year university to major in computer science and business. After college he plans on becoming a game developer. His mother is Victoria Rivero and his father is Fred Travis.
The PaxtonScholars Program aims to enhance student self-esteem, parent and guardian advocacy, peer and mentor interaction, maintenance and improvement of academic performance and preparation for college transition among local African American students in public schools.
Scholars receive college scholarship funds based on their grade-point averages during their junior and senior years of high school and through the first two semesters of college, the release explained. The six students will also each receive a HP Pro laptop computer suitable for college and backpack in November.
The MCCCE is a nonprofit organization that was organized in 2006 after receiving a $1 million donor-directed endowment established at the Community Foundation of West Kentucky by the late Fred and Peggy Paxton. In addition to the PaxtonScholars Program, the endowment awards scholarships and educational assistance to students who wish to continue their post-secondary education. The Fred and Peggy Paxton Non-Endowed Fund also contributes additional support to the PaxtonScholars Program.
Donations to support the efforts of the MCCCE can be made to the Administrator of the Paxton Endowment: The Community Foundation of West Kentucky at P.O. Box 7901, Paducah, Kentucky 42002-7901 or directly to: MCCCE, Inc. at 300 South Third Street, Paducah, Kentucky 42003.