Tilghman Juniors Named Paxton Scholars

Paducah Tilghman juniors Alexia Tyler, Sa'Myra Guerin, Promyse Davis, and Martaj Marks have been selected for the Paxton Scholars Program. 

Each year, the McCracken County Community Career Endowment chooses six students from McCracken County High School and Paducah Tilghman High School to participate. The scholarship is an enrichment program for outstanding African American juniors enrolled in the city and county school systems. Students chosen for the scholarship will receive college scholarship funds based on grade-point averages from their junior and senior years of high school, and from their first two semesters of college. Each of the scholars will also be presented a college-suitable laptop upon high school graduation in 2017.

Alexia is a member of the PTHS soccer team, choir, FCCLA, FBLA, Interact, Beta Club, and B.A.B.E.S. She is an alumnus of the Paducah Chamber of Commerce Youth Lead. Alexia is a member of A.S.C.E.N.D. and House of Hope Ministries youth group. She volunteers at the Paducah Middle and Morgan Elementary Family Resource Centers. Her parents are Donta Tyler and Abigail Nguyen. She plans to attend a four year university and major in sports medicine.

Sa'Myra is a member of the PTHS girls basketball team and is a manager for the football team. She is a member of A.S.C.E.N.D. and the Harrison Street Missionary Baptist Church youth group. She serves as a volunteer at George Wilson Sports camps. Her mother is Yolanda Ligon. Sa'Myra plans to attend either the University of Louisville or Tennessee State University and study to become a sports attorney.

Promyse is a member of FBLA, Interact Club, B.A.B.E.S., and Beta Club. She is a member of A.S.C.E.N.D., a youth group sponsored by Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. She volunteers at Rosary Chapel. Her parents are LaToya Ware and Clif Davis. She plans to attend a Historically Black College and major in psychology.

Martaj is a member of the PTHS Choir, Pep Club, FBLA and Student Council. He is a Paducah Chamber of Commerce Youth Lead alumnus. He is on the staff of the yearbook and helps manage PTHS social media. He is a member of the Paducah Law Enforcement Explorer Post and is a member of the Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church youth group. His mother is Stacy Marks. Martaj plans to attend Clark Atlanta University and major in criminal justice.

The Paxton Scholars program was organized in 2006 by MCCCE, a local non-profit organization, after the late Fred Paxton and his wife, Peggy Paxton, established a donor-directed endowment of $1 million at the Community Foundation of West Kentucky. The endowment will continue to award scholarships and educational assistance to students who wish to pursue their post-secondary educations.