In our second year as a registered nonprofit we offered the “Ascend. Succeed. Change.” Scholarship. The criteria for academic support was a high achieving senior at South Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Scholarship committee focused on the attributes of academic resiliency, personal values, and a positive outlook for ones future. We are proud to offer the scholarship award to Markella Allen. She is an inspiring and resilient senior. Her story moved the scholarship committee to offer more than just the $1,250 academic award. We also provided food for her first semester, move-in materials, and a new laptop.
Markella is both responsible and mature beyond her years. As a senior she already supports herself and siblings financially. She is a school mentor that regularly meets with junior students and impresses the importance of staying atop their education. She is a core member of the Varsity Basketball team’s success and morale. She sees college as a way to increase her life’s stability. She also wants to set an example for all those who look to her for guidance.