Paducah Public Schools

Dr. Thailandria Daniels will be the keynote speaker for the event, according to a news release from MCCCE. Daniels was a member of MCCCE’s PaxtonScholars Class V, graduated in 2020 with a degree in biochemistry from Louisiana State University, and recently graduated from the University of Kentucky Medical School. She is set to start her career as an emergency medicine intern this summer at Washington University in St. Louis.

Daniels worked as a vaccinator and a lab coordinator during her first year of medical school at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, MCCCE said. As a second-year medical student, she was selected to receive the UK College of Medicine Department of Behavioral Science’s inaugural White Coats for Black Lives Fellowship. She completed research regarding physician perspectives on UKCOM’s occupational climate and strategies to recruit and retain underrepresented physicians at the college of medicine. She hopes to publish her work soon. She was also an active member of UKCOM’s Student National Medical Association, a national organization with the goal of serving and empowering underrepresented communities. In her final year of school, she served as chapter president and Regional Medical Education Conference Chair/Director in December 2023 and represented her chapter at the 60th Annual Medical Education Conference in March in New Orleans.

As a first-generation college graduate and soon to be first-generation physician, Daniels expressed appreciation of her educational journey and hopes to use her personal testimony as a childhood abuse survivor and first-generation student to inspire others and to become an advocate for the underserved, according to the news release.

Additional funds from the Fred and Peggy Paxton Non-Endowed Fund have allowed enhanced scholarship funds to be given to six students in Class XIII of the PaxtonScholars Program. Alexa White, Kilee Minter, Sydnee Harris, Anniya Harris, Aleczandrea Coffie and Alyssa Foster will receive scholarship funds earned during their junior and senior years of high school. The students were awarded college-ready laptops with carrying cases in December 2023 and will receive additional funds next year, which they will earn during their first two semesters of college. Students in Class XII of the PaxtonScholars Program will receive funds earned during their spring 2024 college semester and students recently selected to comprise the PaxtonScholars Program Class XIV will be recognized.

The 34 students chosen based on their GPA, financial need, achievements, and future goals to receive the 2024-25 MCCCE Educational Scholarship funds totaling approximately $60,000 are:

• Sarina Hamilton — Murray State University, Graphic Design Major

• Andriah Hawthorne — Murray State University, Communications Disorders Major

• Zoe Houston — Murray State University, Physics & Math Major

• Brenda Taylor — Kentucky State University, Education Major

• Gabrielle Copeland — University of Kentucky, Theatre/Arts Administration Major

• Shymiya Daye — University of Louisville, Exercise Science Major

• Shaovion Davis — West Kentucky Community and Technical College, Practical Nursing Major

• Jackson Mundy — University of Louisville, Business Management Major

• Hanna Scott — Murray State University, Learning & Behavior Disorders/Middle Social Studies Major

• Roselyn Minter — University of Kentucky Engineering School at Paducah, Civil Engineering Major

• Maurice Baucom — West Kentucky Community and Technical College, Psychology Major

• Ma’Hali Brown — University of Kentucky, Finance Major

• Chase Maxie — West Kentucky Community and Technical College, Mechanical Engineering Major

• Lebran McMullen — Kentucky State University, Business Major

• Raymond Green — West Kentucky Community and Technical College, Mechanical Engineering Major

• Khiland Moss — University of Kentucky, Kinesiology Major

• Serenity McCoy — University of Kentucky, Political Science Major

• Kauri Whitfield — University of Kentucky, Pre-Nursing Major

• Landon Fitzgerald — West Kentucky Community and Technical College, Exercise Science Major

• Joemari Starks — Campbellsville University, Sports Management Major

• Jaelynn Carver — Western Kentucky University, Psychology Major

• Joseph Reeves Jr. — Murray State University, Television Production Major

• Elijah Patrick — Austin Peay University, Medical Laboratory Science Major

• Kailen McGregor — MCHS Senior, Centre College, Theater & English Major

• Brooklynne Riley — PTHS Senior, Dallas College, Diagnostic Medical Sonography Major

• Jokerrian Casey — PTHS Senior, University of Kentucky, Sports Journalism Major

• Jayla Reed — PTHS Senior, Campbellsville University, Medical Technology Major

• Paige Hixon — PTHS Senior, Kentucky State University, Nursing Major

• Makayla Hughes — PTHS Senior, Berea College, Psychology Major

• Amari Williams — PTHS Senior, University of Louisville, Mechanical Engineering Major

• Alexandria Copper — PTHS Senior, University of Louisville, Chemistry Major

• Nevaeh Troupe — PTHS Senior, Western Kentucky University, Undecided Major

• Heaven Troupe — PTHS Senior, Western Kentucky University, Nursing Major

• Dwight Duffy III — PTHS Senior, Berea College, Pharmacy Major

Seventh Annual B.A. Hamilton Memorial Scholarship

• Raymond Green — West Kentucky Community and Technical College, Mechanical Engineering Major

Charles Hicks Memorial Scholarships

• Alexa White — Kentucky State University, Business Major

• Joe’Avion Starks — Kentucky State University, Agriculture Major

The Ronald McDonald House Charities donated funds for the 18th consecutive year to purchase two new college ready HP laptops with carrying cases. Cathy Elliott will award them to two scholarship winners during the program.

Nine area mentoring and tutoring organizations each received $1,200 grants from the MCCCE Fredrickia Hargrove Mentoring/Tutoring Enrichment Program. Ninth Street Tabernacle Youth Ministries, Inc., L.I.F.E. Community, Inc., The Luther Carson Four Rivers Center, KeysII@Broadway United Methodist Church, Tornado Alley Youth Services Center, Black Coal & Roses Society Young Ladies Organization, PTHS African American Leadership Club, PTHS Student Equity Advisory Council and the MCHS African American Leadership Club will be recognized.