High school students in the Leadership, Education and Development (LEAD) program attended their year-end recognition banquet Wednesday, May 25 at 6 p.m. the Carleen Bright Arboretum, where more than $84,000 in scholarships were awarded to 16 local students.
The annual $20,000 Bradley Ray Hulse Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Madison Lindell, a La Vega High School senior who plans to attend the University of Texas to study film and media arts.
This year we were excited to present a LEAD alumni-sponsored scholarship. Ashley Phillips, a 2008 graduate of LEAD and Waco High School, created the Reaching Back As We Climb scholarship. She currently resides in Austin, Texas and at works at Apple. During the LEAD banquet, Phillips presented the $1,000 Reaching Back As We Climb scholarship to Waco High student Kiana Redrick. Redrick plans to attend the University of Texas to study psychology and child development.
“The LEAD banquet has grown tremendously since it began almost 20 years ago. The highlight is still the moment we award the $20,000 Bradley Ray Hulse scholarship, but the whole night is designed to celebrate the seniors who are graduating this year,” said Joe Nesbitt, LEAD founder, mentor and program sponsor. “Knowing that many of these students will be the first generation in their family going on to higher education – and that we have the honor of helping some of these students achieve their dreams through the scholarships – is part of what makes this night so special.”
The remaining $63,500 was awarded to 14 other scholarship recipients.
- University High School student, Diana Villagomez, received a $10,000 scholarship. Villagomez plans to attend Texas Christian University to study early childhood education.
- Connally High School student, Ai’Yana Crist, received a $10,000 scholarship. Crist plans to attend McLennan Community College and transfer to the University of North Texas or Tarleton State University to study business and culinary arts.
- Waco High School student, Samantha Nava, received a $6,500 scholarship. Nava plans to attend Tarleton State University to study criminal justice.
- Waco High School student, Montserrat Serrano, received a $6,500 scholarship. Serrano plans to attend Texas A&M to study kinesiology.
- Midway High School student, Albert JJ White Jr., received a $6,500 scholarship. Jr. plans to attend Elmhurst University to study business management.
- La Vega High School student, Jerushalayim Guadarrama Perea, received a $4,500 scholarship. Perea plans to attend the University of Texas at Arlington to study foreign language.
- Methodist Children’s Home student, Taylor Hightower, received a $3,000 scholarship. Hightower plans to attend McLennan Community College and transfer to Tarleton State University to study psychology.
- Waco High School student, Julian Watkins, received a $3,000 scholarship. Watkins plans to attend the University of North Texas to study kinesiology.
- Rapoport Academy: Meyer High School student, Alyssa Andrews, received a $3,000 scholarship. Andrews plans to attend McLennan Community College and transfer to Tarleton State University to study social work.
- Midway High School student, Rashad Satchell, received a $3,000 scholarship. Satchell plans to attend Austin College to study accounting.
- Waco High School student, Emili Montelongo, received a $3,000 scholarship. Montelongo plans to attend McLennan Community College and transfer to the University of Houston to study business, real estate.
- Connally High School student, Kyndel Dempsey, received a $2,500 scholarship. Dempsey plans to attend McLennan Community College and transfer to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor or Texas A&M to study nursing.
- Midway High School student, ZaCobie Haverly, received a $1,000 scholarship. Haverly plans to attend Hardin-Simmons University to study kinesiology with a minor in education.
- Midway High School student, Joseph Labay, received a $1,000 scholarship. Labay plans to attend Tarleton State University to study engineering.
The LEAD program is a business and education partnership that pairs high school students from Waco, University, Rapoport Academy, Harmony School of Innovation, La Vega, Lorena, Robinson, Connally, Midway and the Methodist Children’s Home with business leaders to foster mentoring relationships that educate and expose students to various business fields. By improving the students’ knowledge of higher education and potential career paths, they expand their goals for their future. Through this program, the Greater Waco Chamber hopes to motivate these students to graduate high school and pursue higher education, which in turn ensures greater employability and quality of life.
Since 2010, more than $550,000 of scholarships have been awarded to students.
The LEAD program launched in 2005 with one mentor and five students. This year, the program included more than 50 mentors and more than 150 students.
The Bradley Ray Hulse Memorial Scholarship is sponsored by Central National Bank and The First National Bank of Central Texas. Other scholarship sponsors include Brazos Masonry, the City of Waco, Magnolia, McLennan Community College, the Battle Family and the Davis Family.