Four Washington County High School Seniors were awarded $250 scholarships in the Law Office of D. Cole Phelps’ First Annual Scholarship Recipient Banquet.

Lazarus Barrow, Olivia Blount, Earnest James, and Adrian Moore were honored in a July 10 ceremony held at the First Christian Church in Plymouth, NC.

Attorney Watsi Sutton served as the keynote speaker exhorting the four graduates to keep striving to accomplish their dreams.

“I come to encourage and even to challenge you towards the bright futures that lie just outside the doors of this church,” said Sutton.

Sutton mentioned that the fact that the students were sitting there embodied the very definition of faith.

“Which is to give singular focus and work for something not yet seen. And to stay the course believing the desired outcome will happen without any physical evidence of it,” said Sutton.

Sutton said the scholarship recipients probably saw some tough times.

“But I know that no goal is met without some resistance. Few of us ever achieve anything great without scaling some obstacles. Whatever your own personal struggle may be, you made it,” said Sutton.

Other people will look to the scholarship recipients to see what they will do next.

“Your family, your classmates, teachers, and the whole community are all awaiting your example. We need your impact. Young women and men are waiting and watching you,” said Sutton.

Sutton ended by explaining that recipients’ education does not end with the completion of school.

“I want to admonish you to dream larger than life dreams,” said Sutton.

The 2014 Scholarship Committee consisted of Latasha Sullivan, Kathy Waters, and Mary Wayt.

Members of the Committee praised the character of the recipients during a remarks section of the banquet

“I was impressed by how deeply some of you all thought,” said Wayt.

D.Cole Phelps led various portions of the banquet by giving the invocation, introducing Sutton, and giving closing remarks.

Phelps had announced the scholarship earlier this year in a March 8 email to community leaders.

“Attorney Phelps believes in giving back to the community that gave him so much and also in the importance of higher education. College-bound high school seniors in Washington County will be evaluated based on several factors including academic achievements, extracurricular activities, leadership skills, community involvement, and personal pursuits. Our office will award four $250 scholarships to high school seniors in Washington County who are enrolling in college in the fall of 2014,” said Phelps in the email.