St Joseph – While a commercial cleaning business owner may have moved on to Denham Springs, 2024 marked the fourth year he has made an annual trip back home to dish out money, but this year, he decided to award $5,000 in scholarships and $700 in stipends to area Head Start Centers.

Efremzimbalist Randle believes supporting educating is the key to fighting violence. A 1987 graduate of Franklin Sr. High, he is a native of St. Joseph, an unincorporated community in St. Mary Parish that’s just a stone’s throw away from the City of Franklin’s boundaries.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support of teachers and community members who helped me along the way, and let’s just say that wasn’t an easy task for them to do.”

Since 2020, Randle has returned home, to make donations where he believes God has led him. For instance, previously he awarded $1,500 to Franklin Jr. and $1,500 to Franklin Sr. High, for needs he saw warranted there.

Last week however, he awarded five $1,000 scholarships, two students at Franklin Sr. and two at West St. Mary High Schools, and one at Patterson High.

In 2025, he is hoping to present scholarships at all five St Mary Parish Public High Schools.

Also this year, he awarded two $350 stipends, one to Cinderella Head Start Center and the other to Winnie the Pooh Head Start Center.

And, just as he has done previously, he throws a birthday bash for himself on the day he awards the presentations, “to keep my journey to this point at my forefront, but also to make a bigger statement to the community.”

“Collectively, we are all stakeholders in our future, and part of that responsibility is get involved with our children, to keep them on the right path. It takes a village,” Randle said.

The philanthropist also awarded two Community Champion awards, one to Cynthia Prince, the director of the two aforementioned head start centers, and the other, to retired educator and community leader Pearl Barnes Rack.

Prince said Randle has an incredible passion for the community.

“How many people do you know, throw a birthday party to give away nearly $6,000?”

“Efrem is so unselfish, but it is because he has a huge, good heart.”

Rack said Randle was one of her former students at Franklin Sr. High.

“I taught him business math, so I guess you can say he has become a wise business owner, who has an incredible spirit and passion for people. I am just so impressed with him,” she said.

The students who won one of Randle’s E.B.P. scholarships were: Travon Dickerson and Kayla Smith, Franklin Sr. High, Elijah Johnson, Patterson High, and La’Zay’Lon Brown and Ta’Nayla Lucas, West St Mary High School.

In other scholarship news, West St. Mary High School graduated its seniors on May 16. Those graduates who garnered a nearly a combined total of $719,000 in scholarships for their grades were:

Brielle Alexander, Xavier University of Louisiana, $40,000; Kaylin Allen, 100 Black Men of St. Mary, $1,200; Xavier University Presidential, $105,488; Louisiana National Guard, $80,000; Howard University, $80,000; Morehouse, $60,000, and Teche Action Board, $250; Talyn Babb, LSU Transformation Merit Resident Award, $2,000; O’ren Becerra, Louisiana National Guard, $80,000 and Teche Action Board, Inc., $250; Le’Zay’lon Brown, Xavier University Academic, $64,000; E.B.P. Community, $1,000; St. Mary NAACP, $250; Jaci Doucette, Louisiana National Guard, $80,000; Keri Gipson, Grambling State University Marching Band Service Award valued at $8,000; Ta’Nyla Lucas, Nicholls State University, $38,000; E.B.P. Community, $1,000; Jaiylon Robertson, Grambling State University Concert/Marching Band Service Award valued at $24,000; Mannie Scott, Grambling State University Concert Marching Band Service Award valued at $16,000; and Courtney Trosclair, Nicholls State University valued at $38,000.

Franklin Sr. High graduated its seniors on May 17. Those graduates who garnered nearly a combined total of $282, 000 in scholarships for their grades, were:

Saeed Abdulla, LSU Presidents valued at $18,200 for four years; Warren Boudreaux, the LSU Pelican Promise Scholarship valued at $33,500 for four years; J’Kylon Ceasar, an athletic scholarship to play basketball at Baton Rouge Community College valued at $16,172; Trinity Climax, the UL Upward Bound Scholarship for $6,000; Kae’Audreyah Daniels, a Merit Resident Scholarship from LSU for $2,000; Travon Dickerson: the 100 Black Men of St Mary for $1,250; the E.B.P. Teen Community for $1,000; an LSU Academic of $49,652 for four years; the Derrick J Olivier Foundation for $1,000, and the Franklin Class of 1984 Scholarship for $500; Aiyana Drexler-Thomas, the Franklin Sr. High Class of 1998 Scholarship for $275; Dalen Edwards, A Child’s Place Daycare Scholarship for $1,000, and the Krewe of Shona Scholarship for $200; Ajaycia Gibson, A Child’s Place Daycare for $1,000; Thaylor Hilts, the UL Upward Bound for $6,000; Jayshayn Johnson: The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc Rho Omicron Chapter Scholarship of $1,000 and a Grambling State University Football Scholarship valued at $75,412 for four years; Devul Lewis, LSU Pelican Promise of $32,000 for four years; Christian Lopez, LSU Pelican Promise of $32,852 for four years and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc Phi Rho Omega Chapter Scholarship for $500; Schyler Miller, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc Rho Omicron Chapter for $1,000, and the Southern University New Iberia Alumni Chapter for $1,000; and Sonya Naquin, the Franklin Sr. High School Class of 1998 Scholarship for $275.