Please join me in thanking President Delvin Houston and the members of the Randolph County, Alabama Branch of the NAACP for their generous donation to the 2025 RCTS scholarship fund. The donation will support the award of two 2025 RCTS scholarships in honor of Ms. Willie Mae Jones, a 1961 RCTS graduate.

Ms. Jones was a strong supporter of the RCTS Legacy, Reunion and scholarship initiative and active member of the NAACP. She was affectionately known as a RCTS songbird as a member of the historic Rock Mills Baptist Church choir and other area choirs. At each all-class reunion, she led attendees in the singing of "Over in Randolph," the RCTS school song written by Mittie Bell Almond, RCTS class of 1939.

Since 2005, we have awarded 105 scholarships to RCTS descendant graduates of Randolph County, Alabama high schools. All donations are used to award scholarships without administrative or other costs. Additional information about the RCTS Legacy, Reunion and Scholarship initiative is available at www.rctsscholarshipfoundation.org

We thank Shirley Johnson Walker for her recent generous donation to the 2025 RCTS Fund. With her support, we will continue to build on the 101 RCTS scholarships we’ve awarded since 2005.

andolph County Training School (RCTS), played in our development and the survival of our community, than celebrating the 107th birthday of our beloved RCTS teacher, Ms. Countess John Chapman.

Shirley is a RCTS New School student who graduated from the Randolph County High School after attending RCTS. She is a member of the Rock Mill, Alabama Georgia Ann and Awbrey Johnson family. She and her siblings attended RCTS. She is an exemplary RCTS descendant student, having retired as a senior university administrator at the University of Buffalo.
Additional information about RCTS and our scholarship fund is available at www.rctsfoundation.org.

We selected Jaliya NaSha Wilkes to receive a 2025 RCTS scholarship. She is a graduating senior at Wadley High School with an impressive academic and extracurricular record. She is the granddaughter of Curtis Watts, a 1953 RCTS graduate. Jaliya received her award on April 18th.

We received generous support from RCTS alumni and friends for our 2025 fundraising effort. Among them (pictured here) are Daffie Magby Dillard, Wanda Rowe Yancey, Kathy Williams Seymour, Shavon Dean (a RCTS scholarship recipient) and Shealissa Williams.

We also received applications from RCTS descendant students at Handley High School and the Randolph County High School. Decisions regarding their awards will be announced shortly.

The annual award of our RCTS scholarships is a proud moment for us as we continue to ensure that the RCTS legacy is not lost to history, especially at a time when African American history and diversity, equity and inclusion are under assault. Behind these Silent Walls - Remember and Grow Stronger. www.rctsfoundation.org.