Kiwanis Club of Orange awards Culpepper scholarships to local students

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  • Amber Lester
    Amber Lester
  • Kiasia Wilson
    Kiasia Wilson
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The Kiwanis Club of Orange, Texas recently awarded two local graduating seniors Culpepper leadership awards.

Each year, the club awards the Q.B. Culpepper Leadership Award to an outstanding senior in the Little Cypress-Mauriceville CISD and the Ben Culpepper Leadership Award is given to an exceptional senior from West Orange-Stark High School. The awards each provide $1,000 for the students’ continued education.

Amber Lester of LC-M received the Q.B. Culpepper Leadership Award. Lester plans to study veterinary medicine.

This year’s Ben Culpepper Leadership Award went to WO-S senior Kiasia Wilson, who plans to study nursing after graduation.

The Kiwanis Club of Orange established the Q.B. Culpepper Leadership Award in honor of Q.B. Culpepper, a Kiwanis Club of Orange founder. He was Superintendent of the Mauriceville School District from 1931 until 1940. After going into business for himself, he spent hundreds of hours working to establish Key Clubs at both Little Cypress-Mauriceville and West Orange-Stark high schools.

Q.B.’s son, Ben Culpepper, was a longtime member and leader of the Kiwanis Club of Orange. Ben was also active in the Texas/Oklahoma District of the Kiwanis organization. He worked for years to support Key Clubs at both WO-S and LC-M high schools and had four children go through the West Orange-Cove CISD.

The scholarships are awarded to current senior Key Club members at their respective high schools who exhibit leadership; practice involvement in school; serve others in the community; display positive character traits; and have proven to be conscientious students.

Kiwanis Club correspondence stated the group is “very proud of these two and other seniors in Orange County who have made it through a rough year and persevered to pursue their goals.”