Virgil and Barbara Clarkson Encourage Showing Up, Reaching Out

barbara clarkson
Barbar Clarkson, along with her husband Virgil, has been a champion of education in Thurston County.
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By Lisa Herrick

oly fed sponsor“The community needs to show up and be responsive,” declares Barbara Clarkson in the spirit of referencing a book by Bill Gates, Sr. titled “Showing Up for Life” and related to participating in the upcoming Martin Luther King, Jr. Banquet to be held at the South Puget Sound Community College. In addition to Gates’ book, there are an abundance of quotes about just showing up which is exactly the sentiment that Clarkson is challenging our community for the January 17 event. Just show up.

“South Puget Sound Community College made the effort to bring in a national speaker, provide the venue and give the event credibility through its reputable Arts & Lecture Series, Olympia Federal Savings generously sponsors the event to offset costs so that ticket prices are affordable for attendees and more money can be directed toward scholarships, and the Thurston Group of Washington State takes care of all the behind the scenes coordination so that we can continue to honor MLK and raise scholarship money for our local students trying to afford to go to college. This is an investment being made for the community in a unifying event to help move young people forward. Our community needs to show up and get involved,” continues Clarkson.

barbara clarkson
Barbara Clarkson, along with her husband Virgil, has been a champion of education in Thurston County.

For years, Barbara and Virgil Clarkson have been educational advocates in the community. As early as 1994, the Clarksons, led by Barbara’s brother, Larry Jenkins formed the Thurston Group of Washington State. The main purpose of this organization was to support local youth by providing them with educational options to achieve their goals primarily by encouraging and assisting students to attend school beyond high school.

In the organization’s most active period, Jenkins had developed a relationship with local and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). Up to 30 HBCUs came to the Thurston Group of Washington State’s college recruitment fair held at South Puget Sound Community College. Students traveled from all over the northwest, including Canada, to meet with recruiters and be considered for scholarships.

While Jenkins and the Clarksons operated Thurston Group of Washington State, they helped over 800 students get accepted into four-year institutions that were primarily HBCU or northwest colleges. Many of these students were awarded scholarships and several went on to become teachers, doctors, lawyers and researchers earning masters and doctoral degrees.

However, in 2011, after 17 years of assisting students obtain opportunities within higher education, Jenkins’ health prohibited him from continuing and the recruitment events were discontinued. The Clarksons remained active within the group and the emphasis shifted to the Reach Out Program.

The purpose of the Reach Out Program is to help students gain education, internships, and employment. The Thurston Group of Washington State believes that in order to help youth gain access to the best possible education they must be provided monetary assistance and promote a diverse competitive education environment.

virgil clarkson
As part of the Thurston Group of Washington State, Virgil Clarkson has helped more than 800 students get accepted into higher education programs.

The Thurston Group of Washington State offers students the opportunity to apply for the Martin Luther King, Jr. scholarship. Due to limited resources, the Thurston Group of Washington State currently offers three scholarships to one student from each of the three larger school districts – Olympia School District, Tumwater School District and North Thurston Public Schools. Proceeds from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Banquet help to fund the scholarships.

As part of the South Puget Sound Community College Artist and Lecture Series, Ernest Green of the Little Rock Nine will keynote the banquet. Green earned his high school diploma from Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. He and eight other black students were the first to integrate Central High, following the 1954 US Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education that declared segregation illegal. They later would become known as the “Little Rock Nine.” Green then went on to receive his bachelors in social science and masters in sociology from Michigan State University. He also received honorary doctorates from Michigan State University, Tougaloo College, and Central State University.

“This is the first time we have had a national speaker at this event,” explains Virgil Clarkson. “SPSCC has always been a supportive partner of the Thurston Group of Washington State. And Olympia Federal Savings has been very gracious in sponsoring the banquet. We could not provide the level of service to the students and the scholarships without their financial assistance. I cannot praise them enough for what they have done and their help this year. We are so fortunate for both SPSCC and Oly Fed.”

Tickets to the banquet are $40 per person and are available through SPSCC online by clicking here or by calling 360-596-5334.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Banquet

Saturday, January 17 at 6:00 p.m.

South Puget Sound Community College – Student Union Building

 

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