The 2017 annual Awards and Scholarship Gala, Benefiting the Gwendolyn V. Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund, was held June 4, 2017, at the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel, Nashville. Dr. Phyllis D. Adams, Professor of Speech and Theatre at Motlow State Community College, served as Mistress of Ceremony. Three (3) $1,000 scholarships were given to college students and five (5) Educators and Community leaders were recognized for their leadership and contributions to education. The recipients of the Gwendolyn V. Smith scholarships awarded at the 2017 Gala were: Mohamed Muday, who will attend Middle Tennessee State University and major in Physical Education and Health, Candance D. Hearn, a student at Belmont University, with a double major in Psychology and Elementary Education and Celena Otey, a student at Austin Peay State University, who plans to pursue a graduate degree focusing in higher education after graduation. The honorees were: Teacher of the Year – Stacey Hobbs, Principal of the Year – Dr. Darwin Mason, Sr., Achievement in Higher Education – Pamela Bobo, Living Legend, Freddy Bailey and Community Trailblazer – Jennifer Jennings.