Antioch Baptist Scholarship Award Continues Sewickley Family Legacy

Sewickley native Darlene Grey wanted to do something to keep her family's local legacy alive, so last year she started a scholarship in their names. 

"It's based on a long legacy...they really have a strong cornerstone in the Sewickley community that dates back over 100 years," said Grey, who now lives in Los Angeles. 

For the second year, the Kirk-Cotton-Grey Scholarship was recently awarded to Courtnie Coon, who accepted the award on Sunday, Aug. 4 through Antioch Baptist Church at 332 Elizabeth St.

She is the daughter of the Rev. Travis C. Coon, pastor of the church, and Margo Coon.

Grey established the scholarship in 2010 because she wanted to honor her family, who were cornerstones of Antioch Baptist and worked in the Sewickley community.  

Grey said her great-great-grandfather, the Rev. John Kirk, was one of the founding pastors in 1906. Her grandmother, Virginia Grey, was the first African-American to graduate from Quaker Valley in the early 1900s, she said. And her father, Ed Grey, worked at the Sewickley Community Center on Chadwick Street, where the tennis courts are named for him.

The last remaining Cottom siblings, Alice Cottom Brown and Nellie Cottom Simms passed away last year. The family hopes the torch through this scholarship will continue to honor the faith, hope and love they shared with so many. 

"There is a legacy of family members," Grey said. "I am one of the great, great grand children."

Education is important to the Grey family, where all five siblings graduated from college. Grey said the scholarship started out at $250 and increased to $1,000 this year after receiving support from friends and family. Grey expects the award amount will increase in the future.

The scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior that meets requirements based on academic merit, community service and future potential. Applications are reviewed by academic independents, and community leaders in California. 

This year the scholarship presentation was tied to the annual "Come on Home Weekend," a long-standing four-day reunion for African-Americans in the Sewickley community.

This year's recipient Courtnie Coon plans to attend West Liberty University in the fall, majoring in psychology. 

The first recipient, Candice Frank will graduate in spring 2014 from Syracuse University, where she is majoring in television–radio-film with two minors: Spanish and information technology.

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