FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2003

'Titans' writer donates $20,000 for students
By Richard Freedman

Gregory Allen Howard may be 3,000 miles away, but the motion picture scriptwriter hasn't forgotten his roots.

The former Vallejoan who penned "Remember the Titans" and "Ali" has donated $20,000 to the Continentals of Omega Boys & Girls Club as a way to honor his high school mentor and community that inspired him.

The Dr. Howard Lonsdale Scholarship is up for grabs and two Vallejo high school seniors will be awarded $10,000 toward a four-year college.

"When Gregory told me about the scholarship funds he was donating, I was very, very excited and very thankful," said Philmore Graham, founder of the boys and girls club.

Graham said he constantly pushes his Omega graduates to always remember where they started.

"And somebody (Howard) is coming back and giving," Graham said, adding that it's especially rewarding to see Howard honor a former instructor "because we have a strong mentorship program and this is something we have been teaching at the boys and girls club."

Deadline for applying for the scholarships is June 1, Graham said, and all Vallejo public school graduating seniors are eligible. Participants must be U.S. citizens, a participant in a high school athletic program, and have at least a 3.0 grade point average overall.

The scholarship donation is the biggest ever received on behalf of the boys and girls club, Graham said.