Photo courtesy of Destination Hoover International
The Destination Hoover International nonprofit this year gave $2,000 scholarships to Hoover High senior Stacey Tatum and Hoover High senior Lena Baker, thanks to proceeds from the Jubilee Joe's Crawfish Fest. Shown here are DHJI President Shelley Shaw, Jubilee Joe's owner Kash Siddiqui, Tatum, Baker, Sharmeen Siddiqui and state Rep. Mike Shaw, also a founding board member of DHI.
Spain Park High senior Lena Baker is on of this year's recipients of scholarships from the Destination Hoover International group. Hoover High senior Stacey Tatum also received a scholarship.
Each student received a $2,000 scholarship made possible by a donation from Jubilee Joe’s Cajun Seafood Restaurant, which each year gives a portion of proceeds from its annual crawfish festival to the DHI nonprofit.
Baker will use her scholarship toward her college focus in international studies and marine biology. She was accepted into the International Scholars Program at the College of Charleston, which is a joint program between the Honors College and the School of Languages, Cultures and World.
“Being an international scholar means double majoring in international studies and another major of the student’s choice, which allows the student to learn about their desired major and its impact on a global scale,” Baker said. “By the time I graduate, I will not only have a strong understanding of marine biology, but of what issues marine ecosystems are facing globally and how to solve them.”
Tatum has been active in Spanish classes at Hoover High during all four years of high
School, and his scholarship will go toward his continued Spanish studies at Auburn University.
With a major in chemical engineering and minor in Spanish, Tatum said he intends to lean into the diverse collegiate population at Auburn University, much like he has done in high school
“The diversity of students at Hoover High School have shown me that cultural and intellectual exchange isn’t just beneficial; it’s necessary,” Tatum wrote in an essay. “It is through our differences that we learn and help each other become stronger. The diverse cultures I have experienced as a result of my social exploration at Hoover High School makes me excited to further explore others’ ideas in the future.”
DHI President Shelley Shaw, said Jubilee Joe’s this year gave $5,500 from its 2025 Crawfish Fest proceeds to DHI to fund student scholarships. That amounts to more than $30,000 from Jubilee Joe’s since the partnership began in 2018, Shaw said.
Jubilee Joe’s owner Kash Siddiqui said he believes investing in student scholarships is a great way to give back to the community.
DHI, founded in 2018, seeks to foster cultural exchange and international relationships, uniting Hoover with people throughout the world. The mission statement is, “to bring the world to Hoover, and Hoover to the world!”
Since its beginning, DHI has hosted delegations from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Hungary, the Consul General of Japan and Japanese ambassadors. Other events in which the organization has been involved include the cherry tree blossom dedication at Aldridge Gardens and a cricket tournament held at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex.
For more information about DHI, visit destinationhooverinternational.org.
