April 11, 2018
The power of a book BooksFromBekkah, Inc. is a nonprofit that helps buy textbooks for minority students in their first year of college to help combat the dropout rate
Around Town Community Voices By Larry Brown. Pg. 2 Eligible Hazelwood residents should contact county’s home improvement program. Pg.5
Special Section
By Charlotte Beard It has been stated that one of the primary reasons for a high dropout rate among African Americans during their college freshman year is due to the astronomical cost of text books on top of tuition costs. Dr. Rebakkah Johnson, pharmacist, decided to impact this outcome for future high school graduates the year she received her doctorate degree in 2016. In lieu of birthday gifts Johnson, who was in a six-year accelerated college program, asked that on April 13, 2016, her 24th birthday, she receive just $2.40 from each person who wanted to give. BooksFromBekkah Textbook Scholarship Foundation was birthed when she managed to raise $500 through monetary gifts. It helped cover a full year’s worth of textbook costs for an African-American Submitted photo student hand-picked by the college Dr. Rebakkah Johnson, pharmacist, is the founder of BooksFromBekkah, Inc, a nonprofit that helps buy textbooks for minority advisory staff at Clayton High School, her students in their first year of college. alma mater. Sources state that according to the National Association of College Stores, entering college. The recipients at her alma of me and picking up the most important $300 is the average cost to cover textbooks mater went on to enroll in The American parts.” in one-semester. In 2017 she set a goal of University in the District of Columbia, Johnson spent her K-12 years in the $2,500 for her birthday and surpassed that Columbia College, Spelman College, Clayton School District though her family goal by raising $3,000 with the help of the University of Miami in Florida, University lived in Normandy before moving to Black community. of Missouri-Kansas City, and the University Jack, where her family’s home caught fire. In March 2017 DELUX Magazine of Texas-San Antonio. Subsequently, her family moved to Clayton recognized Johnson’s accomplishment Johnson’s first year at the St. Louis College where their new home was part of the by honoring her as one of their 30 of Pharmacy forced her to work to pay for desegregation program. under 30 for her innovation in creating text books while maintaining her classes. BooksFromBekkah collaborates with BooksFromBekkah. BooksFromBekkah, Johnson stated, “I struggled scholastically the high schools of applicants throughout Inc. is a nonprofit which became because my time didn’t exist – there was no the St. Louis area during their selection incorporated in January 2018 and has five time to do anything. I barely slept. It taught process for the textbook scholarships. board members. me time management, it taught me how to The process begins with a graduating Johnson hosted her first soiree, a rooftop study. I did pretty good in school after a student completing an application as gala, to meet her goal. BooksFromBekkah while and I think it was because [I learned well as submitting reference applications distributed $500 text book scholarships to to manage] the large plate I had. I am pretty See ‘BOOK’ page 2 six minority Clayton high school students much a master at having a book in front
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