Where Are They Now? Past QBG Scholarship Awardees
by Thelma Sardin
The QBG Scholarship Awards Gala 2011 is ten days away! In anticipation for the big day, the Citizen Newspaper is traveling down memory lane and catching up with past scholarship recipients.
Larissa M. Tyler, president/CEO of Mediaesque PR LLC who is executive director of the QBG Foundation recently explained the importance of the QBG gala.
The primary focus is to raise funds for our scholarship program so that we can continue to send disenfranchised and at risk youth to colleges and universities. [Also] to continue on with our mission of eradicating potential violence on the street through the opportunity of education and hopefully a higher education, she said.
The Quentis Bernard Garth (QBG) Foundation has helped Black youth attain higher education for nearly 20 years. QBG was founded by William Garth, Sr., CEO of the Chicago Citizen Newspaper Group, Inc., in memory of his son, Quentis.
QBG has awarded over $1.5 million in scholarship money to date. The organization awards scholarships to motivated high school seniors who are in need of financial support.
LaCael Palmer-Pratt is a 1995 QBG Scholarship recipient. A Morgan Park High School graduate, she was awarded a 4-year scholarship to college.
She earned a bachelors degree in broadcast journalism from Columbia College Chicago in 2000. Thereafter, she attained a masters degree in educational leadership from Roosevelt University.
Today, Palmer-Pratt is a successful educator and is currently a principal.
I feel every child can learn. My job is to ensure each child has an enriching education [which] includes preparing them for graduation and college, she said.
Palmer-Pratt encourages this years scholarship recipients not to come home during summer break. No kid needs to come home over the summer and sit on their butt. She adds that it is imperative that college students seek internship opportunities on their down time.
The educator is appreciative for the QBG Scholarship she received over 15 years ago. I was able to select wherever I decided to go for school, she said.
Palmer-Pratt adds that she is thankful to the QBG Foundation for providing local youth a chance to attain higher education.
[It] means a lot when you have the backing of your community, she said.
As a school administrator, she often seeks partnerships with corporations and community organizations to enrich her students educational experience. She adds that it means more when community businesses invest in children from their area.
Moreover, Palmer-Pratt often helps students secure scholarships and grants to help pay for their college expenses.
It is important to her that she provides her students the same opportunities she was afforded.
Palmer-Pratt who has graduated over 1,000 students who have gone to college, many of whom have finished, is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Tenisha Taylor-Bell is also is a 1995 QBG Scholarship recipient. She is currently an executive producer at CNN in Atlanta, GA.
Taylor-Bell worked in several television markets as a producer before landing her position at CNN. She worked at WUSA-CBS affiliate in Washington, D.C., WLWT-NBC affiliate in Cincinnati, OH and WDSI-Fox affiliate in Chattanooga, TN.
The media powerhouse earned a bachelors degree in mass media arts from Clark Atlanta University and a masters degree in public administration from Kennesaw State University.
She grew on up on Chicagos Southside and attended St. Martin De Pores Academy, where she received a 4-year college scholarship from QBG.
If it werent for Mr. Bill Garths generosity and financial contribution, I would not be where I am today, she said. Taylor-Bell is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
For Kevin Cottrell, a 2000 QBG Scholarship recipient, watching tons of basketball games has definitely paid off.
Cottrell is currently a writer and correspondent for NBA-TV. He earned a bachelors degree from Clark Atlanta University and is presently pursuing a masters degree in sports management from Drexel University.
The sports media professional encourages this years scholarship awardees to have a plan for life after college. Those four years are gonna fly by, he said.
Cottrell says the QBG scholarship enriched his college experience and alleviated stress.
It helped take [away] stress about finances. I had one less thing to worry about and I was able to focus on my education, he said.
He thanked the foundation for its generosity and says its nice to see the organization is still helping students. Cottrell is a 2000 graduate of Morgan Park High School and was also awarded a 4-year college scholarship.
He said the QBG scholarship was instrumental in helping him to leave Chicago. My goal was always to work in journalism. If I didnt get the scholarship, I wouldnt have left Chicago. With the 4 year scholarship, I knew I had to hold up my end of the bargain, he added.
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