At The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Fund of Rutherford County grew out of a need to address concerns regarding the African American achievement gap in education  in our local school system and  the quality of education available to African American students in Rutherford County, Tennessee.

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Additional concerns surfaced  regarding failed opportunities to acknowledge academic excellence among African American students when they performed well in the classroom, while student performance in the athletic arena was widely publicized in multiple media outlets.

Faced with these and other unsettling questions, a group of citizens convened in the early 1980's to share their concerns and possible solutions.  Many of the early actions of this group sprang from a project designated, Life Skills Development,  a program conducted in the Patterson Community Center, a local recreation center in the African American community.

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This group soon enumerated the following student focused points which they felt contributed to the academic achievement gap found among African American students in Rutherford County:

1.African American students received media recognition
   mostly for achievement in athletics and encounters with the
   criminal justice system.

2.Participation in sports was strongly encouraged by parents,
   media and peers.

3.Academic award ceremonies at school had little African
   American student participation.

4.African American students who performed well in the
   classroom were frequently isolated and criticized by other
   African American students for taking a more rigorous course
   load- “acting white”.

5.The small number of  African  American students found in
   honors level classes (sometimes told that classes were closed
   due to capacity issues)-Systemic concerns.

6.The lack of opportunities for  African American students to
   be honored for academic success.

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Subsequently, with the development of a mission statement and action plans, the decision to host an Annual Senior Honors  Awards  Banquet was made in 1984 to recognize academic role models for other students. With a modest goal of awarding $1,000.00 to the graduating African American student with the highest academic profile in Rutherford County, the board of directors approached the community and was surprised with the ability to generate contributions of over $4,000.00 during the first year of the banquet.  The community further embraced the program by exceeding the capacity of the James Union Building on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University, the site of the first banquet, with over 500 individuals attending the now  historic first Annual Senior Awards Honors Banquet.

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It is important to note that the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship is an academic award based on a scholastic score achieved by awarding weighted enumeration to grades obtained in the students course of study.  Honors courses receive the highest scores in our qualifying selection process.
National testing scores from the ACT and SAT are also factored into the student selection process.

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Students are also asked to submit an essay delineating their scholarly and extracurricular activities in school and their community.  This allows the board of the Dr. King Scholarship Fund to develop a comprehensive profile of each student submitting applications for this prestigious award.

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Since the inception of the Dr. King Scholarship Fund, the community has seen a tremendous growth in the numbers of students who participate in academic awards ceremonies in the county.  In 1984, only three students met the criteria for participation in the first senior awards banquet.  In 2009, the annual capacity audience will honor 41 students for their academic success.

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The success of the Senior Honors Award effort has allowed the Fund to award over $832,500 to 518 students during the last 30 year period.  These funds have in large part come from local churches and individuals who decided to make a difference in the lives of children in the Rutherford County Community.  These funds have allowed our children access to some of the most honored halls of education in America.

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Following the success of the Senior Honors program, the Scholarship Fund subsequently started a recognition program for eighth grade AA scholars in the local school system.    During Black History Month, an honors dinner is convened for students across the county who have made the honor roll or principals list at least once doing the school year.  In 2013, we hosted 254 students who met this criteria with their parents in attendance.  It was a monumental effort, but never- the- less, a most rewarding experience for members of the board of directors.

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Additionally, the Scholarship Fund has evolved to conduct enrichment programs to address special identified needs of students and requested programs from our students.  With additional financial resources and manpower, we desire to expand this aspect of our efforts in the future.

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The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Fund has served as a catalyst for other communities in the Middle Tennessee
community to begin similar efforts.  We have been proud and honored to share our experiences with these communities and actively supported their efforts with personal contributions and attendance during some of the activities of these organizations.

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The successes of the Scholarship Fund go far beyond the monetary awards to our students.  The community pride
generated by this program is most effectively seen in the tears of those who attend the banquets and discussions in the community.  This community initiative speaks to the heart and desire of a community to say to our children that we value you and truly realize that you are our future.

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The African American Student Academic Achievement Gap Facts and Observations

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1.African American Students score lower on standardized test 
   even when socioeconomic factors are controlled.

2.African American Students drop out of school at higher
    rates than white students.                                                                        

3.African American Students are not enrolled in “gifted
   classes” to the same degree as white students.

4.African American Students do not attend college as readily
   as white students.

5.The use of standardize test scores to 'track” children, places
    the African American student at a great disadvantage in
    school.

6.African American Students are suspended and expelled
   in numbers vastly disproportionate to white students.

7.African American Students are at risk because of past
   educational barriers and failures encountered by their
   parents.

8.A disproportionately number of African American
   Students come from communities where poverty and
   unemployment rates are high, drugs and violence are
   common which places them at significance risk to
   academic success in the classroom.

9.African American students have fewer academic role
   models to emulate.

10.African American students have fewer peer support
     groups which value education to promote good study
     habits