City Wide Exterminating Awards First Annual Scholarship

LOCUST, N.C. — City Wide Exterminating has awarded the first recipient of the Steven R. Smith Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship was created in 2022 to honor the memory of the late Police Chief Steven Smith of Locust, N.C., who passed away in 2020.

“The Smith family is close to our hearts and an integral part of the City Wide team,” City Wide President Ashley Morrison said. “This is a small way that we can honor his family, his memory and his contributions to our community.”

The annual scholarship will be awarded to one graduating high school senior in the Greater Charlotte metro area each year based on academic excellence, character and community involvement.

This year’s recipient is Mia Barbee, a 2022 graduate of West Stanly High School. Barbee plans to study nursing at Wingate University in the fall.

“Steven’s goal was to have a positive impact on the community he grew up in and the place he called home,” said Smith’s wife, Melissa. “Steven brought the concept of community policing to his hometown of Locust. He carried himself and lived in such a way that focused on meaningful community engagement, and I know he would be honored.”

Applications for the Steven R. Smith Memorial Scholarship will open again in early 2023. The annual scholarship amount is $1,000.