Major David L. Carter Scholarship Fund
Background
David L. Carter enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1947 and was assigned to duty in Tokyo, Japan, in January 1948, as part of General Douglas MacArthur’s staff. He was discharged in 1953, only to re-enlist in 1955 with his Reserve rank of Sergeant First Class, and assigned to Ft. Benning as Operations NCO of the Special Troops Command.
In November 1962, Captain Carter was selected to command the largest single JROTC unit in the nation as Commanding Officer of Lanier High School for Boys, which had more than 1,300 cadet students. Lanier High School was later designated Central High, where now Major Carter was named the Senior Army Instructor. Under his leadership, both Lanier and Central were recognized as one of the best Army JROTC units in the country.
In order to instill military skills competition among other ROTC units, Major Carter initiated the first competition of Drill Teams in Georgia, and founded the Southeastern Drill Meet, hosting the very first competition on the Lanier Drill Field. Macon, Georgia, became well known by its Golden Boots winning seven first place National titles in precision drill. Central ROTC also had top rifle marksmanship teams, winning State championships numerous times and winning one National championship.
One of his favorite quotations during his tenure was “Maximum Emphasis Is On Everything!” which resulted in Lanier/Central JROTC being selected, at the very minimum, as Honor Unit every year of his Command.
Major Carter’s “Maximum Emphasis” also included his public service. He served as an elected official in Macon for 18 years as a City Councilman, and his civic duty culminated with his appointment as Mayor of Macon in 1995. Upon his retirement, a monument was erected by the Bibb County Board of Education naming the Lanier/Central Drill field in his honor.
He retired with the rank of Major following a storied career of 21 years of active Federal service and another 22 years continued service as a retired Officer, Teacher, and Mentor as the Central High School Senior Army Instructor.
Purpose
To provide a college scholarship to a JROTC cadet who is a graduating senior from Central High School in Macon, Georgia.
Eligibility Criteria
- Must be a JROTC cadet from Central High School in Macon, Georgia.
- Must be a graduating senior from Central High School, Macon, Georgia.
- Must be accepted to an accredited two or four-year college, university, or vocational school.
- Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 to apply.
- Must exemplify Major Carter’s favorite quote “Maximum Emphasis is on Everything” by being a well-rounded student in academics, extra-curricular activities, community service, part-time work, or service to others.
Selection Criteria
Applicants will be selected based on the following:
- Preference will be given to JROTC cadets who have participated in the program for two or more years during their high school career.
- Demonstrated positive record in academics, extra-curricular activities, community service, part-time work, or service to others.
- Potential to succeed
- Personal character
- Demonstrated financial need
- Academic success
Additional Short Answer Questions and Attachments
On the last page, you will select the Major David L. Carter Scholarship Fund and complete the following additional information:
- A short essay describing how you exemplify Major Carter’s favorite quote, “Maximum Emphasis Is on Everything” by being a well-rounded student in academics, extra-curricular activities, community service, part-time work, or service to others.
- Provide the name and email address of your JROTC advisor who has agreed to submit a letter of recommendation for you. This person will receive an email from our system allowing them to submit your recommendation. Please ask them before submitting their email address and let them know when you have submitted your application because that is when they will receive the email.
- A resume listing your school and community activities, athletics, awards, offices held, and other relevant experience.
- Your most recent high school transcript – you must request this from your current school.
- A current, submitted FAFSA Student Aid Report that indicates the value of your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) in the upper right hand corner. If this value is not shown, your application will be considered incomplete.
Awards
Amount of Award: $500 per year, eligible for renewal for up to four years
Number of Awards: Four per year, one new recipient selected annually
Renewal for Prior Recipients: A prior recipient of this scholarship fund is eligible to renew the award each subsequent year of his/her undergraduate education career for up to four years. In order to renew, he/she must:
- Complete the online renewal application by March 15th of each year.
- Submit an unofficial transcript scholar@cfcga.org at the end of each fall and spring semester for which he/she receives the scholarship.
- Maintain full-time enrollment, completing 12 or more credit hours each fall and spring semester he/she receives the scholarship.
- Maintain the eligibility criteria as defined in the scholarship’s guidelines.
If a prior recipient does not maintain the eligibility criteria or faces unique circumstances that require him/her to take time off or take a reduced course load for a semester, the student should contact the Community Foundation to determine if he/she is eligible for continued funding.
A prior recipient is allowed one probationary period if their cumulative GPA falls below 3.0. If they raise their cumulative GPA to 3.0 or greater by the following semester, they will continue to be eligible to renew this scholarship. If the student’s cumulative GPA is below 3.0 for two semesters, they are no longer eligible for the renewal of the scholarship.