LEAP Forward awards 58 scholarships

LEAP Forward Inc. helped local high school and college students financially when it awarded 50 scholarships at its 23rd annual scholarship award ceremony and reception July 14 at Mt. Olive United Methodist Church in Prince Frederick.

The ceremony honored students from Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s and Prince George’s counties for their outstanding academic, leadership and community service achievements. LEAP Forward is named in memory of Wallace Lorenzo Leeper, a Calvert High School Vocational Guidance Counselor, who was a strong advocate for science, technology, engineering and math career options.

Author and inspirational speaker Jahvon Gordon was the master of ceremonies for the event, the theme of which was A Deeper Look, We See You.

Live music was provided by Esperanza Middle School eighth-grader pianist Kenneth McNeil III, singer Farnetta Baker of Charles County and others.

Guest speaker was engineer, author, lecturer, Civil Rights activist and retired executive director Carl B. Mack, who told the winners to "take advantage of opportunities. Men and women who achieve greatness have one common denominator and that is that they had an opportunity. Greatness is when you go and do something for the betterment of others more so than for yourself.”

To date, LEAP Forward has awarded more than 450 scholarships totaling more than $430,000.

For more information about LEAP Forward Inc. go to leapforwardinc.org, or to watch the scholarship program, follow LEAP Forward Inc. on YouTube.

The following scholarships were awarded:

Ruthann Hicks Memorial Scholarship — Rebekah Bobo (Morgan State University), Lauryn Ridley (University of Virginia School of Medicine) and Ebun-Oluwa Popoola (Howard University).

Clyde & Olive Sealey Memorial Scholarship — Sydney Contee (Penn State).

Martin Barnes Memorial Scholarship — Janyia Freeman (Clark Atlanta University), Syndie Collins (Howard University), Egypt Butler (University of Maryland College Park).

Joan Gray Butler Memorial Scholarship — Randolph Hart IV (Lincoln University of Pennsylvania).

Wallace Leeper Memorial Scholarship — DeShaun Berry (UMES), Myles Selby (Delaware State University), Kamaal Guzeh (administration, Morgan State), Tiara Baker (North Carolina Central University).

Clifton Morsell-Randolph Adams Memorial Scholarship — Sanaa Gray (Bowie State University), Lauren McNair (Howard University), Seth Leslie (University of Maryland, Baltimore County), Laila Mitchell (St. Mary’s College of Maryland).

Wilson Ennis Sr. Memorial Scholarship — Destiny Lewis (Bowie State University), Sean Manley (Howard University), Kevin Wilkerson (Morgan State).

Grace Parker Memorial Scholarship — Iyan Tookes (North Carolina A&T State University), Christian Rose (Oakwood University), Adriana Brothers (Bowie State).

Earl Thorne Memorial Scholarship — Makayla Lancaster (Howard University).

Lawrence Myers Memorial Scholarship — Haly Bermudez (George Mason University).

Gloria Mae Gross Memorial Scholarship — Kennedi Jones (Hood College), Alissa Collins (Liberty University), Tristan Stowe (West Virginia University).

Raymond Harris Memorial Scholarship — Gavin Goldring (Catholic University of America), Jalon Bain (CSM).

Hamilton and Alice Parran Memorial Scholarship — Anita Pope (Towson University), Tory Ridgeway (Embry Riddle Aeronautical University), Madison Harris (Bowie State).

George H. and Geneva Green Harrod Memorial Scholarship — Dataya Resenois (Howard University), Saniyah Payne (Morgan State), Derek Brown (SMCM).

Bill and Blanche Finch Memorial Scholarship — Calia Strickland (Towson University).

Violet Parker Memorial Scholarship — Tracey Montilus (Towson University), Essahe Barber (Hampton University), Melita Nicholas (Stevenson University).

Gladys Henson Memorial Scholarship — Keyona Tharpe (North Carolina Central University), Cori Davis (Morgan State).

Ruth Reid Memorial Scholarship — Jada Brooks (CSM).

Thomas Family Scholarship — Mirakohl Coates (Howard University).

MacArthur Jones Memorial Scholarship — Jaron Scott (Hampton University).

Nannie Pearl Cade Memorial Scholarship — Vidal Bickersteth (UMBC).

Iris Anne Harris Memorial Scholarship - Lailah Toppin (Towson University).

Evelyn Irvine Memorial Scholarship — Jocelyn Berry (Towson University).

Micheal J. Moore Memorial Scholarship — Taliyah Washington (Morgan State).

Gail E. Patterson Scholarship — Christian Brown (Syracuse University).

Elizabeth Simms Memorial Scholarship — Cianna Stanley (Morgan State).

Vivian Lemort Rogers Memorial Scholarship — Erin Gibson (Morgan State).

Dorothy Mae Smith Memorial Scholarship — Tajanay Madison-Berrain (Coppin State University).

Marilyn Preston Killingham Memorial Scholarship — Kennedy Freeman (NCA&T).

Victoria Lodge No. 71 Scholarship — Taylor Webster (Spelman College).

MasterMind Group Scholarship — Sashah Wilson-Thompson (University of Connecticut).

Carrie Bertha Kent Jones and Clyde Jones Memorial Scholarship — Micah Estep (Bloomsburg University).

Bertram Pernell Bell Scholarship — Christopher Davis (Syracuse University).

Joan Gray Butler Memorial Scholarship — Randolph Hart IV (Lincoln University of Pennsylvania).

Glenda Bell Boyd $1,000 Memorial Scholarship — Alanna Bell (CSM).