NAACP holds banquet for scholarship program

The Elyria Unit of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People gave recognition Oct. 5 to students who are going to college with the help of its scholarship program and recognized those who made the funds possible.

The organization held its 74th annual Freedom Fund Scholarship Banquet at Lorain County Community College’s Spitzer Conference Center in Elyria to celebrate the opportunities the scholarship provides and honor those who support the NAACP.

The event also featured Juan R. Thomas, a lawyer from Chicago, as the keynote speaker.

Dee Tolbert, president of the Elyria Unit of the NAACP, said six students benefited this year from the scholarships.

“We had six scholarships that were given to students before they even graduated,” Tolbert said. “Students write an essay and then qualify from there.

“We hold the annual banquet as mandated by the NAACP to honor those who have the scholarship, but also recognize the supporters of the scholarship and show our gratitude. The scholarship itself is a book scholarship and can be a big help for a lot of students heading into college.”

Tolbert said the scholarship benefited students from Oberlin, Elyria, Lorain and Midview high schools.

“It really benefits kids from across the county; we don’t focus on only one school,” she said. “We want to make college a reality for these kids, and the scholarship encourages them to go forward.

“I want to thank all of the supporters of the scholarship; they make this possible.”

Maryn Tolbert, 18, a graduate of Oberlin High, and granddaughter of Dee Tolbert, received a scholarship and now is in the nursing program at LCCC.

“I’m very appreciative of the scholarship,” Maryn Tolbert said. “It’s a good opportunity; I’m blessed to have received it.”

Tracy Green, vice president of strategic and institutional development at LCCC, thanked the NAACP and all the community partners in attendance for the work they do with the college.

“What we do at the college couldn’t happen without community partners,” Green said. “This year, we had 43 percent of Lorain County high school graduates graduating having earned college credit this past year.

“We are proud to be a sponsor and host of the event. Education is the pathway to success and freedom; it can’t be taken away from you.”

ZACHARY SRNIS — THE MORNING JOURNAL Dee Tolbert, president of the Elyria Unit of the NAACP, middle, with her granddaughter, Maryn Tolbert, left, daughter, Denenita Tolbert-Brown, son, Mark Tolbert, to her right, and Tracy Green, vice president of strategic and institutional development at LCCC.