415 NEILL-SANDLER SCHOLAR AT MTSU

WATERTOWN’S FRAZIER, CANNON COUNTY’S PRUETT EARN TOP NEILL-SANDLER SCHOLAR AT MTSU AWARDS
MAY 3


Date: May 3, 2006 Editorial contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919


(MURFREESBORO) — It has been quite a year for Watertown High School senior Wesley Frazier.
On top of the upcoming finals and graduation activities for Watertown seniors, Frazier, who endured many family hardships as a youngster and teenager, and his girlfriend, sophomore Shycottia Riddle, became parents of a son, Landon, nearly two months ago.
On May 3, Frazier was selected to receive the $10,000 Ray Danner Scholarship during the eighth annual Scholars at MTSU Strive for Excellence Banquet in the James Union Building’s Tennessee Room.
Wilson County Schools’ Superintendent Jim Duncan, Watertown Principal Rick L. Martin, Guidance Counselor Lee Hodges and Riddle attended the banquet.
“Wesley has had many road blocks in his life,” Martin wrote in a letter of recommendation to the Neill-Sandler Scholarship committee. “Wesley’s one constant is his success in school. Wesley needs accomplishment ant success to encourage belief in himself.”
Frazier, 18, who said he plans to study aerospace at MTSU in hopes of becoming a commercial pilot, has worked at the Alexandria Café for five years to support his family. He and Riddle plan to marry.
“My life has been difficult, but the one thing that has kept me going all this time is the simple thought that hardships only make a person stronger,” he said. “While today may be dark and gloomy, tomorrow is always a glorious, bright and brand new day.”
Cannon County High School senior Michelle Pruett of Bradyville was awarded the $7,500 Elizabeth and Sidney A. McPhee Scholarship. Pruett, who was born prematurely with twin sister Brittany, has had to overcome family challenges that included a single-parent home and a job loss by their mother.
Despite the hardships and with “determination (that) carried me beyond what all ‘experts’ predicted I would accomplish,” Pruett has maintained a near 3.7 grade point average and scored an overall 21 on her American College Test.
“Michelle has been a model student,” Cannon County guidance counselor Daniel Gregory said. “. . . I have not doubt that Michelle will earn a college degree, and this great opportunity held by the Neill-Sandler Scholarship will find in her an example of why this scholarship was created and what a great blessing it is and that it continues to be.”
Eight others, who have endured hardships but achieved success along the way, received $5,000 scholarships from the Neill-Sandler Foundation and the Nashville-based Danner Company. They included:
Wartrace resident Danee Crosslin of Cascade High School; Jamey Hurst of Coffee County Central High School in Manchester; Dowelltown resident Bethany Davis of DeKalb County High School in Smithville; Jeff Sanders of Huntland High School; Murfreesboro resident Elizabeth D. Allen of La Vergne High School; Chelsea Beaty of Warren County High School in McMinnville; Franklin resident Kasey Stannard of Page High School; and Stephanie McGowen of Tullahoma High School.
The program, which has awarded 75 scholarships, was established in 1999 through the efforts of business partners Neill, Sandler and Randy Morton of the Neill-Sandler Foundation.
For more information about the Neill-Sandler Scholars at MTSU program, visit mtsu.edu/~devofc/neill-sandler. For information about other scholarships or admission to MTSU, call the admissions office at 615-898-2111 or visit mtsu.edu/~admissn/.
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