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by Tracy Haughton, TEBI Board Secretary

special to The Lowndes Signal

The Elmore Bolling Initiative (TEBI) has announced that Justin King, a 2023 graduate of Central High School, is the recipient of the organization’s $1000 scholarship. 

King is the son of Willie King and the late Bennie King. In his essay, Justin said, “Like Mr. Bolling, I have also faced obstacles in life that have motivated me to want to succeed. In 2019, I lost my mother to cancer, and just recently, in January 2023, I also lost my only sister to the same disease. Experiencing such a loss at an early age has been difficult, but the love and promises I made to my mother keep me going.”  

King will be attending Trenholm State Community College.

Each year, TEBI awards a $1000 scholarship to a deserving Lowndes County student. Students who are graduates of Central High and Calhoun High can apply for the scholarship. 

Students must complete an application and essay detailing how their post-high school goals align with the life and legacy of Elmore Bolling, a Lowndesboro businessman and entrepreneur lynched in 1947.

“We received a record number of applications this year. All the students were amazing and deserving, making our decision extremely difficult,” said Dr. Regina Moorer, Scholarship Committee Chair. “We were excited to see so many applications from young men. We wish we could assist every applicant.”  

The Elmore Bolling Initiative’s annual scholarship acknowledges Elmore Bolling’s emphases — entrepreneurship, education, and citizenship. 

Since 2014, TEBI has provided over $10,000 in scholarships to graduates of Lowndes County Public Schools. Scholarship winners  may attend either two-year or four-year colleges. Previous scholarship recipients have attended Alabama State University, Auburn University-Montgomery, Bishop State Community College, Trenholm State Community College, Tuskegee University, and University of West Alabama.

To learn more about TEBI and support their work visit www.bollinginitiative.org.