Education
Chandler Kearsey Awarded Quincy Mills Scholarship to Pursue Dreams at ECU
Chandler Kearsey is the first recipient of the Quincy Markel Mills Scholarship, an award named after a young man whose life ended tragically.
Chandler Kearsey, a recent graduate of Warren Early College High School (WECHS), has been named the recipient of the first Quincy Markel Mills Scholarship, one that will help her pursue higher education at East Carolina University (ECU). Kearsey was awarded $750, which she will use to support her studies as she embarks on her journey toward a degree in Management with a concentration in Human Resources.
Following in the footsteps of her father, Kearsey has set her sights on a career in Human Resources and wants to work with a Fortune 500 company. She stated she chose ECU for its diverse campus and the range of opportunities that align with her career aspirations.
The Quincy Mills Scholarship is named in honor of Quincy Mills, a 19-year-old whose life was tragically cut short in 2023. His father, Walter Mills described his son as “a good kid with a big, bright smile and everybody loved him.” Eric Copeland, a friend of the family initiated the idea to start a scholarship in Mills’s name, and received the approval from Walter. With the help of Eric’s wife, Jackie, they were able to implement it. The initial scholarship amount was set to be $500 until local Warren County group, The Brotherhood contributed an additional $250, making it a total of $750.
Copeland stated the scholarship was established to keep his memory alive and support students in their pursuit of higher education. The scholarship committee, composed of Larry Jones, Jr. and Shrounda Douglas-Riddick selected Kearsey based on being thorough in her application, and also her academic achievements, community involvement, and clear vision for her future.
WECHS principal, Shena Judkins described Kearsey as an “amazing student with a heart for people.”
Kearsey’s ambition, coupled with the support of the Quincy Mills Scholarship, places her on a promising path toward achieving her dreams. As she prepares to start her freshman year at ECU, Kearsey is eager to take full advantage of the opportunities that lie ahead.
To read more about Quincy Mills, read this RRDailyHerald.com article.
Arts
WCMS Musical Theatre Troupe Enchants Audience with “A Little Bit of Magic”
We were under the spell of their amazing talents!
If you were anywhere else in the world and not inside the Warren County Middle School gym last Friday evening (May 30), you missed out on a historic event in our community.
Under the directorial helm of Nichole Gibbs and Cherita Smith, the WCMS Musical Theatre 8th period class stepped into the spotlight and performed A Little Bit of Magic in front of their families, Warren County Schools staff, and community theatre enthusiasts.
A LITTLE BIT OF MAGIC, a stage production written by Gail Golden centers around “Do-Nothing Dale, a little picked-upon wizard, who wants to know what her little bit of magic is. On her journey to find out, she meets people like the laughing Coco the Clown and the singing Marilyn Melody, and she finds that she’s just as special as everyone else in the world.” (Source)
The magical night kicked off with a preshow featuring monologues from students, Lilly Byrd, Zha’niya Clark, and Elijah Pettus.
Nichole Gibbs, WCMS Theatre Arts teacher, prepped the audience for what would turn out to be an engaging and interactive event by breaking down Theatre Production 101 and what it takes to run a show by soliciting responses from the knowledgeable audience. Little did they know that, later in the evening, they, too, would be joining the actors on stage.
Overall, the show was amazing! There was singing. There was dancing. And best of all, we were so honored to witness these young talents at work. And with any good story, there was a lesson in the end: We all have that “something” that makes us special.
Who knows? Today, we’re applauding them in a school gymnasium. Tomorrow, it could be Broadway, and we can say we remember them when they got their start in Warren County.
Tickets for the show were $7, or $10 if one wanted to make a special shout-out.
Proceeds from the event helped cover costs for scripts, royalties, and security. Their future goal is to provide a starter fund for future WCMS Theatre Productions in order to produce shows on a larger scale.
If you’re interested in becoming a community partner or volunteer, contact Nichole Gibbs at ngibbs@warrenk12nc.org.
A Little Bit of Magic was presented by special arrangement with Pioneer Drama Service, Inc., Denver, Colorado.
Preshow Feature Monologues/Scenes
Lilly Byrd, Zha’niya Clark, and Elijah Pettus
Cast of Characters (By Order of Appearance)
Player One – Keymoni Fuller
Player Two – Madison Aycock
Player Three – A’shayla Hawkins
Jonathan Primiano, Jr.
Pianist – Caleb Hargrove
Wonder Wanda – Ameerah Steed
Magnificent Mervin – Elijah Harris
Do-Nothing Dale – Amaris Yancey
Marilyn Melody – Serenity Henderson
Coco the Clown – Kira Cunningham
Depressed Daisy – Veronica Stewart
Flowers – Players and Audience
The Weatherman – Zyier Belcher
Kalabash Turnbull
Princess Patricia – Arely Gandarilla
Ensemble
WCMS Musical Theatre 8th period class and The Audience
Production Staff
Artistic Director – Nichole Gibbs
Musical Director – Cherita Smith
Choreography – Nichole Gibbs, Kayla Smith
Stage Manager, Lights, Ensemble – Jimmy Thorpe, Jr.
Sound – Kira Cunningham, Nichole Gibbs
Costume, Props, and Set – Nichole Gibbs and Cast
Publicity – Pioneer Drama, Jimmy Thorpe, Jr. and Production Stff
Production Assistance – Kayla Smith, Ayaina Blake, Kierra Townes
Box Office – Robin Closs and WCMS Staff
Education
PHOTOS: Warren County High School (WCHS) Graduation 2025
Check out highlights from the WCHS 2025 graduation ceremony
The Warren County High School Class of 2025 was ushered into their next chapter with a resounding message to “keep going” from this year’s commencement speaker and WCHS alum, Bishop J. Terrell Alston. (May 24, 2025)
Education
PHOTOS: Warren Early College High School (WECHS) Graduation 2025
Khadijah T. Howze, Esq. delivered an inspirational message to the 2025 WECHS graduates.
The Warren Early College High School held its 2025 commencement ceremony on Friday, May 23, inside the Warren County Middle School gymnasium. Assistant District Attorney and an alumna of the inaugural WECHS graduating class, Khadijah T. Howze, Esq. served as the commencement speaker for the event.
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