The Kinloch Gill Jr. Scholarship endowment named its first recipient of the award this year.
Thomas Dylan Rakestraw of Senatobia High School will use the $1,000 scholarship to attend Northwest Mississippi Community College.
The scholarship is exclusive to Senatobia High School students involved in producing the school’s newspaper, the Warrior Connection. Rakestraw is a sports writer for the paper.
Rakestraw is also a member of the Senatobia High School band, a representative in the Student Government Association and a member of the school’s renaissance club.
The Kinloch Gill Jr. Scholarship Endowment is one of 18 scholarship opportunities through the Community Foundation.
In a press release, Tom Pittman, president of the Community Foundation, said the scholarship was a “wonderful opportunity” for Senatobia High School graduates. “We hope they have as much success as Dr. Gill,” wrote Pittman.
The endowment, started by Gill’s widow, Ann Gill, was created in 2014.
Dr. Gill was a Senatobia native and graduated from Senatobia High School before attending the University of Mississipi, where he eventually earned a doctorate in psychology.
Dr. Gill helped found Region VI Mental Health Center — now known as Life Help — in 1975 and served as its first executive director for many years.
Gill pioneered several mental-health programs that became recognized statewide and nationally.
Although Dr. Gill’s career was in mental health services, Ann Gill created the scholarship to commemorate his earlier passions. While in high school, Dr. Gill was editor of the Warrior Connection. The endowment is to grant a scholarship to one student per year.
Pittman thanked the Gill family for their contributions to Senatobia High School students pursuing higher education.
• Contact Chloe Ricks at 581-7124 or cricks@gwcommonwealth.com.
