High school alumni group supports career readiness program

The North Carolina Association of Black High School Alumni recently donated $500 to the College and Career Readiness division at Edgecombe Community College.

The alumni group is composed of alumni of African American high schools that closed in response to desegregation. The organization was established in 2008 to preserve the history of the schools and includes schools in Edgecombe, Nash, Pitt, Wilson, and Halifax counties.

Over the years, the organization has given approximately $2,000 to the ECC High School Equivalency program. Funds have purchased High School Equivalency testing fees and graduation caps and gowns. The alumni group, led by interim president Varnell Kinnin, believes in paying it forward and that helping students realize their dream of earning a high school equivalency diploma is an important mission.

“Everyone doesn’t reach the finish line at the same time,” Kinnin explains. “Life happens; stuff happens. All students, whether they are 16 or 66, deserve a chance to fulfill their dream of graduating. This donation will assist with paying assessment fees, because paying the fees can pose a hardship for students who aren’t working.”