The Frank Jones Scholarship Fund was established in 1991 in honor of our late pastor, Rev. Frank Jones of The Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church. The first Chairman was Ms. Joyce Brown and the Vice Chairman was Mrs. Miranda Mack McKenzie. Some of the first members were: Ms. Willie Wilson, Ms. Cheryl Slater, Dea. Darryl Frazier, Eldred Taylor, M.D, Mrs. Janet Manning, Mr. Clifford Hepburn, Mrs. Carolyn Wilkinson, Dea. Art Brown, Mr. Linton Mack, Ms. Maxine Tanker, and Mrs. Sandra Lawton.
The purpose the Fund was to encourage all college age members of the church to further their education through a two (2) or four (4) year accredited institution of higher learning. Ms. Brown served 1991-2004.
In 2005, the Scholarship committee was restructured and renamed The Frank Jones Memorial Scholarship Commission (Commission). Our Sr. Pastor, Dr. William E. Flippin Sr. was selected to serve as Chairman and Mrs. Miranda Mack McKenzie as Vice Chairman/Coordinator. An endowment for the Scholarship Commission was established in 2006, to ensure that funding was available for future scholarships.
In 2007, The William E. Flippin, Sr. Leadership Award was established to recognize one (1) student who has excelled academically and through leadership and service.
Former William E. Flippin, Sr. Leadership Award recipients are:
2007 | Tiffany Mapp | 2014 | Ariel Aurora Beavers | 2021 | Karentyn Jenkins |
2008 | Brandon Benson | 2015 | Aliyah L. Howell | 2022 | Danielle Rhodes |
2009 | Adrian D. Evans | 2016 | Deanna Nicole Morgan | ||
2010 | Alexandria Ayers | 2017 | Deanna Dumas | ||
2011 | Derrick V. Butts | 2018 | Jamie Wilson | ||
2012 | Amber Murrell | 2019 | Kayla Stephens | ||
2013 | Terrence D. McKenzie | 2020 | Rayah Simone Wilson |
In November 2014, The Commission began the process to seek non-profit status so as to be able to offer scholarships to the community that is served by the Church. On March 15, 2015, the Commission was approved as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit entity. As a result of its new status, the Commission was on a mission to expand it scholarship offerings and was proud to announce the addition of five (5) new scholarships:
Olivia Watkins Bolling Family Foundation Scholarship
Ruby Lee Smith STEM Scholarship
Brenda F. Scott Achievement Award
Dr. Thaddeus Chapman Foundation Scholarship
Alex Ayers Student Athlete Scholarship
We are eternally grateful to God for our new additions and as we move for will continue to seek more donors to help educate our children at the church and the surrounding community.