May 19 Reception at Jefferson School City Center for Five New Program Participants
The Rives C. Minor and Asalie M. Preston Educational Fund will recognize the 2017 recipients of the Minor Preston Scholars Award at a reception at the Jefferson School City Center on Friday, May 1-9, at 6:30 p,m. The four new recipients will join the Scholars Program, a four-year engagement that offers students experienced academic advising and generous scholarship assistance during their college years, The Scholars Program pairs participants with current and retired educators who offer extensive knowledge and experience to support them in their studies. Program participants set academic goals and evaluate their progress on an ongoing basis, The fundamental aim of the Scholars Program is to ensure that participants graduate from college and
achieve a meaningful career and fulfilling life.
Criteria for acceptance into the Scholars Program include: (1-) graduating senior in a public high school of Charlottesville or Albemarle County; (2) first generation to go to college, minority, or immigrant student; (3) demonstrated financial need; and (a) high school program of study and grades sufficient for admission to a post-secondary institution, The following students have been accepted for fall 2017:
Casey Alexander – Western Albemale High School
Jordan Burnley – Charlottesville High School
Karuna Dahal – Albemarle High School
Shemya Key- Monticello High School
The Minor Preston Fund honors the legacy of a singular African-American family, and in particular two members of that family who combined taught for more than seventy years in local public schools. Rives Minor, born a slave in Albemarle County in l-856, began a thirty-year teaching career at the age of seventeen after attaining his freedom, For twenty-one of those years he taught in Albemarle County public schools. His daughter, Asalie Preston, likewise taught in Albemarle County public schools from 1922 to 1933, and then again from 1936 until her retirement in 1969.
Asalie Preston and her sisters, Glenna Minor and Bernice Hargis, endowed the Minor Preston Fund in 1-983, dedicating it to the support of the post-secondary education of graduates of the public schools of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, In the 35 years since its founding, the Minor Preston Fund has awarded over $3 million to more than 1000 students. In addition, the Fund has provided significant support for innovative educational programs in local public schools.
