About

This foundation was founded in honor of Troynell Leonard McKinney Reese, Sr.  Troy understood the hard work, money, and sacrifice a family makes to ensure a child an opportunity of higher education.  He would speak often of establishing scholarships in honor of his mother, Doris McKinney, and mother-in-law, Linda Tedder, because they both demonstrated those sacrifices for their children’s education.  Troy’s vision was to inspire hope, alleviate some of this pressure from families, and allow each student to focus on seeing their education through.  Therefore, to continue his legacy and to inspire hope, the Troynell Leonard McKinney Reese Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship was established.

This scholarship is geared towards students who participate in the Cultural Arts because Troy believed with the Arts in schools, students develop resilience, self-confidence, and are taught to master a craft.  It deepens culture that creates better communication and better people.  As a percussionist, Troy played in all band types – choirs, church, and many talent shows.  He talked about the second thing he did every morning which was to play his drum set to the same song at the same time the local radio station played it.  Music of all genres was his passion.  Troy was a four-year member of the Jazz Band, Orchestra, a “Stick Phi Dog” in the E. E. Smith High School Magnificent Marching Machine, and a percussion section leader for two years.  While attending E. E. Smith, he also participated in and drummed for the choirs.  He would hear music and his fingers instantly became drum sticks and whatever was near became his drum.

After high school, Troy attended North Carolina A & T State University where he continued in the Arts by marching in the Magnificat Blue & Gold Machine and serving as a percussionist in the Jazz band.  He studied his craft even after he graduated and started a family.  The evidence was in his home with his 10 month-old son, Troynell, II easily keeping rhythm, playing his own snare drum.  By the age of three, Troy's son would have you engaged in playing in the marching band with his whistle, drum, trumpet, drum major hat, and high stepping.  Life with a musician requires a different type of ear and teaches you that music can soothe the soul.