Two 2023 East Feliciana Parish graduates recently received scholarship awards from the Jackson Lions Club.
In addition, the duo won the Louisiana Volunteer Service Award and the Lions Club also received a volunteer honor.
The awards from the Jackson Lions went to Eddie Shotwell, of Lindsey, and Antoine “A.J.” Johnson Jr., of Clinton.
Shotwell, a graduate of Slaughter Community Charter School received his award May 11. At SCCS, he maintained a 3.38 GPA while playing football, baseball, powerlifting and participating in track. The son of Justin and Emily Shotwell, he plans to attend Stephen F. Austin University in Texas this fall and major in mass communications with a career goal of becoming a sports journalist for the NFL.
Shotwell was actively involved with Must Luv Dogs animal rescue organization administered by his grandmother, Cindy Shotwell. His efforts included rescuing puppies and dogs, nursing them back to health, fostering them and finding homes for them.
Johnson, a graduate of East Feliciana High School, is the son of Antoine Johnson Sr. and Dr. Lekendra Johnson. He maintained a 3.67 GPA, was team captain of the track and field team and named an outstanding distance runner in 2021-22, served as EFHS student body president and participated in and won honors in many other school activities/programs.
He plans to attend Alcorn State University in Mississippi this fall majoring in computer science, minoring in criminal justice with the goal of finding a job in cyber criminology.
Johnson’s community service activities included helping with numerous programs through his church, Redeemed of the Lord Fellowship in Baton Rouge. He also helped at Grace Nursing Home and Rehab and assisted the elderly in his own neighborhood by doing yard work and providing transportation. On June 8, he received his Lions scholarship award and at the same meeting the Louisiana Volunteer Service Award certificate and pin from Amanda Cain Smith, disaster services specialist with Volunteer Louisiana representing Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser.
It was also at the June 8 meeting that Lions Club President Smitty Schmidt accepted the Louisiana Volunteer Service Award certificate and pin from Nungesser’s representative. The Jackson Lions Club was recognized as the club with the most community service projects in District 8-N in the state.
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