By STEVEN CALHOUN/Staff Writer

Clanton First Baptist will offer the Melinda White Memorial Scholarship for its Weekday Education this year.

“[White made a] huge impact. Everybody that knew her loved her. She was an outgoing, bubbly, fun personality,” preschool director Jane Lawson said. “She just knew everybody. You didn’t go anywhere that somebody didn’t know Mrs. Melinda.”

According to Lawson, White came to the preschool as a music teacher then served as assistant director and eventually as director. Before that, she was a music minister at West End Baptist Church and had also worked at Walmart for many years.

White’s passion for music and children inspired people to donate to a fund for the preschool. After her death in 2016, White’s family requested that instead of flowers for her ceremonies, people donate to the preschool. In turn, FBC created the scholarship fund, which provides access to Christian preschool for one student each year at FBC Weekday Education.

The Melinda White Memorial Scholarship will cover registration, tuition and a school shirt for one 4-year-old student enrolling in the preschool’s three-day program.

“We wanted somebody who could not possibly afford to come to preschool to be able to come,” Lawson said. “We’re hoping to continue it … we get donations quite often.”

To qualify for the scholarship, a family must demonstrate need based on their income in relation to poverty guidelines.

To learn more about FBC Weekday Education and the Melinda White Memorial Scholarship, visit clantonfirstbaptist.org and go to the Weekday Education tab.