This award is meant for students of color who are currently attending 6th or 7th grade in the Beaverton School District who believe that building empathy for others, increasing racial awareness, and promoting social justice are crucial elements to foster a just and supportive community. Students will create a project in their 7th or 8th  grade year, with the assistance of a faculty advisor, that seeks to build awareness of these issues and to foster community.

A monetary award of up to $200.00 will be granted to the successful candidate to help accomplish their project goals.   Applications should be completed by March 15.  Finalists will then be scheduled for a Zoom interview, and final decisions will be announced by May 1.

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Who is Verna Bailey?  Verna grew up in Jackson, Mississippi, and was the daughter of civil rights activist Sam Bailey.  In middle school, Verna had the great opportunity to work with her father and Dr. Martin Luther King when he visited her town.  When she was 12 years old, she was arrested and handcuffed for sitting on a Whites-only bench at the zoo.  Her experiences during the Civil Rights movement in the United States taught her to stand up for what is right for all people.

In 1968, Verna was the first Black woman to graduate from the University of Mississippi. Throughout her college years, she braved threats, racial slurs, and insults to continue her education.  In spite of the hate she encountered, she worked diligently to complete her educational goals.

Verna Bailey worked for 39 years in the Beaverton School District in many different positions including assistant principal at Five Oaks Middle School and  principal at Cedar Park Middle School and Montclair Elementary. Verna always encouraged her students to recognize the importance and value of education and of treating everyone with respect.

Her early experiences in education, although they were very difficult, gave her a strong sense of empathy for others, especially those with feelings of isolation and loneliness.  Verna’s daughter, Asha Bailey Wilkerson, said that her mom taught her “that everybody has a place in this world, so you should treat everyone like they matter, because they do.” Her career in education in Beaverton schools influenced many lives and is a testament to the power of building community by doing what is right.