Hancock High senior Brooke Howard was recently awarded the Brehm Bell Scholarship, given annually to a promising local graduate. The scholarship, open to both public and private high school seniors in Hancock County, was created to encourage those who are pursuing a career in the field of law or related area of study. An outside committee selected Howard from a field of applicants based on her academics, character, and written essay.
The Brehm Bell Scholarship is a $1000 one-time award. Howard is planning on majoring in Criminal Justice at the University of Southern Mississippi in the fall.
“It has been my privilege for the past six years to provide a scholarship to a worthy senior,” said Bell. “My high school education here in Hancock County gave me the strong basis and encouragement I needed to pursue my law degree. I’m happy to help another young student along their path.”
In her submitted essay, Howard wrote that the most significant lesson she learned from her four years of high school is to be humble and grateful for all that she has and all that she achieved. A classmate shared a quote to her “You will never know how much you will miss something until it is gone. Appreciate every moment like it is your last.” Howard plans to live by this statement.
Hancock High teacher Amanda Pidgeon, who wrote a letter of recommendation, noted that Howard’s “inability to settle for less than what she wants and has worked for might be the single thing I appreciate most about Brooke. That quality will take her far in this life.”
A practicing attorney in downtown Bay St Louis since 1995, Bell focuses his practice on personal injury cases and helping people who are overwhelmed or frustrated with the legal process.