Just over 25 years ago, approximately 40 Black students enrolled at Oglethorpe County High School.
Only 11 of them graduated.
The Rev. Reginald Hunter of New Springhill Baptist Church knew something needed to change.
“We knew then we had to do something to help the community,” he said.
With that, the Concerned Men of Oglethorpe County, a non-profit group focused on ensuring equal opportunity for the county’s youth, was conceived.
Since the all-male group’s creation in the late 1990s, it has shifted its focus from primarily young Black men to Oglethorpe County’s youth at large.
“We wanted to make sure that we were focused on all of the youth,” said Hunter, who serves as the organization’s president. “We are trying to make sure that every member of the youth, regardless of race, has a chance to become a good servant to the community.”
The organization, financially backed by its 12 members and five local Baptist churches, awards yearly scholarships to graduating seniors of Oglethorpe County High School. This year, three scholarships were awarded to members of OCHS’ graduating class, with two going to female students.
New Springhill Baptist Church, New Bethlehem Baptist Church, Mount Zion Baptist Church, New Hope Baptist Church and Springhill Baptist Church remain committed to the group’s mission of enabling higher learning for all, Hunter said.
“We have been fortunate, with the help of the community, to be able to offer those scholarships to kids,” said Edgar Alexander, a deacon at New Springhill Baptist Church and member of the group. “Therefore, it has allowed them to go to institutes of higher learning.”
The organization often gives out as many as six $500 scholarships per year, Hunter said. For a student to receive a scholarship, he or she must be involved in a local Oglethorpe County church.
Making sure students undergo a thorough college application process is also a priority for Hunter and other members. Graduating OCHS students are taken on college tours by the organization, in order for them to discern their best fit for the next four years.
The group meets once a month in Crawford to discuss ongoing issues facing the county’s youth. One of the most prominent issues discussed by the organization is urging new 18-year-olds to vote.
“We don’t strictly tell them how to vote, but we try to emphasize how important it is to be registered and how important it is to go and vote,” Alexander said.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Competition is another staple of the organization’s involvement. Each year, the group hosts the competition and awards a cash donation to the winners of four age groups.
Beyond recognizing the academic efforts of the county’s youth, the Concerned Men of Oglethorpe County understand the importance of long-term service from some of the community’s most influential religious figures.
The organization hosted a banquet honoring five pastors who had eclipsed 25 years of service to their community on May 18. The group included Clarence Burgess, Michael Gresham, Calvin Turner, Rufus Whitlock and Dwight Sims.
“It’s really been a joy working in the community, trying to help others along,” Alexander said. “I’ve been blessed, so I’ve tried to pass some of my blessings on to others.”