A St. Louis-born mentoring and scholarship initiative that has quietly transformed the lives of hundreds of college students over the past 16 years is now receiving major recognition.
The Backpack to Briefcase Scholarship and Mentoring Program, co-founded by Larry Blue and Kendra Neely-Gage, was recently honored with the Next Generation Trailblazer Award from the NAACP St. Louis Branch — a distinction celebrating organizations that create lasting educational and economic impact for young professionals.
“This award comes with accountability and responsibility that I don’t take lightly,” said Neely-Gage, executive director of the program. “To be recognized by the NAACP, knowing the organization’s history and the leaders they’ve celebrated, took my breath away. A torch has been passed to us, and I’m proud to carry it forward as part of a legacy of leadership our community needs.”…