Meridian High School graduate Kendrick Walk is one of 16 RBI players from around the country to win the 2013 RBI for RBI college scholarship, announced by Major League Baseball today. Walk will receive $20,000 (5k per year) to apply towards his tuition at Jackson State University where he will play baseball. SIGNING VIDEO
Kendrick Walk (seen here in the 2012 RBI Regional in Arlington, TX) has played in the Mississippi RBI summer league for three years. (Photo by Ed Gardner)
Walk and his family will travel to Minneapolis, Minn. to attend a banquet in his honor. He will also be recognized on the field at Target Field during the RBI World Series in July along with the 15 other scholarship winners.
“We are very grateful to Major League Baseball for this scholarship,” said Brenda Phillips, Walk’s mother, who recently earned her DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice). “We thank Brian Emory for believing in Kendrick and for recommending him for this scholarship. It will be a great help for him to continue his education at Jackson State University.”
Phillips added, “Kendrick would most likely not be playing at JSU without this extra scholarship money.”
Walk led his team with a .462 batting average as well as a 3.15 earned run average on the mound earning a spot on the 2013 D.M. Howie Mississippi High School All-Star Baseball 6A/5A/4A South team. The game was played June 1st in Jackson.
“This scholarship from MLB really helped my dream of playing college baseball come true,” said Walk. ”When I first started RBI several years ago I would have never thought that it would lead to a scholarship. Even though I didn’t know about the scholarship back then God had it written down in His plan for my life. I believe my purpose for life is not only to spread the good news of my Lord and savior Jesus Christ, but to help change lives through baseball.”
Kendrick Walk signing with Jackson State as his family looks on. (Photo submitted)
Major League Baseball Charities, Inc. recognizes the importance of encouraging academic excellence in addition to athletic skills.
That’s why, in 2007, Major League Baseball Charities, Inc. established the “RBI (Runs Batted In) for RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) Scholarship Fund”, to help provide financial assistance to youth who participate in the RBI program and wish to pursue post secondary education.
Walk has been playing summer league in Mississippi RBI since the age of 15 despite the fact that he lives 90 minutes from Jackson, where typically the games are played each Saturday in June and July.
An honor roll student and active volunteer in his community, Walk submitted an essay and other paperwork to be considered for this scholarship.
“I submitted a letter of recommendation to go along with Kendrick’s application and I felt he had a really good chance despite the large national pool of applicants,” said RBI coach Brian Emory. “He has always been an impressive and versatile player and as well as a high character individual. He will flourish in college on and off the field and he is going to a championship program right here in Jackson.”
