MPHS Band Members Receive Scholarships

Front row L to R: Jenifer Deciga and Rianna Jeffery

Back row L to R: MPHS Band Director, Dr. Theo Luckett, Aquilla Kennedy, and Karlton Davis

Contact: Kelly Cowan

MPHS Goin’ Gold Band members presented scholarships

Mount Pleasant High School seniors Jenifer Deciga and Rianna Jeffery received the first Sammy Kennedy Foundation scholarships for their outstanding contributions to the MPHS Band program. Presenting the scholarships were Kennedy’s granddaughter, Aquilla Kennedy, and Chairman of the Sammy Kennedy Foundation, Karlton Davis.

The Sammy Kennedy Foundation is a non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to inspire and empower today’s young musical leaders and drive community unity. Kennedy loved band, music, and singing with all his heart, and you could often witness him giving music lessons to anyone who wanted to learn a musical instrument. The creation of the foundation in his honor hopes to inspire young, talented musicians to advocate for themselves, continue to love music wholeheartedly, and put God first. His granddaughter said, “We want to continue to encourage those students that they can do anything that they put their minds to and that with faith, anything is possible.” 

Deciga will attend Northeast Texas Community College in the fall and plans to transfer to Texas A&M-Texarkana to pursue a nursing degree. Jeffery will attend the University of Arkansas at Monticello on a band scholarship and major in Health Science with a Business Administration minor.