Foot Soldiers Park awarded the Jo Ann Bland Legacy Scholarship to four graduated seniors on Wednesday, May 27. Dallas County High School graduates Dereke Furlow and Kennedi Brooks and Selma High gradu

Foot Soldiers Park awarded the Jo Ann Bland Legacy Scholarship to four graduated seniors on Wednesday, May 27. Dallas County High School graduates Dereke Furlow and Kennedi Brooks and Selma High graduates Samarion Woods and Cedriauna Eaton received $2,000 each to use toward their higher education pursuits. Furlow is set to attend Alabama State University to pursue a degree in criminal justice and later a career in law enforcement. Brooks will attend Huntingdon College to study early childhood education, while Woods and Eaton both plan to attend the University of Alabama to study engineering. Foot Soldiers Park CEO Kimberly Smitherman said the awardees were chosen based on their involvement and efforts to make a difference within the Selma/Dallas County community. Smitherman said this year marks the second year that FSP has awarded scholarships. The idea came from the late Jo Ann Bland, the founder of FSP who was passionate about helping local youth. “It’s important for us to continue her legacy since she passed away,” Smitherman said. “Last year we awarded two scholarships and this year we were able to award four.” Smitherman said FSP was able to double the number of scholarships offered thanks to the generosity of the community. She asked the community to continue donating to FSP’s scholarship fund so they can continue to increase the numbers of kids they can help each year. Visit footsoldierspark.org and click on the donate button in the top right corner of the homepage.