Black sorority's foundation awards scholarships to recent Alachua County high school grads
Scholarships were presented to 15 recent high school graduates to help with college expenses by the Twenty Pearls Foundation of the Mu Upsilon Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
The scholarships ranged from $500 to $2,000. The foundation has awarded $298,000 worth of scholarships since 2006, said Faye McKnight, CEO and president of the foundation.
"This is one of our highest honors," McKnight said. "This scholarship is being awarded to you because of your hard work your community service and your recommendation letters."
McKnight thanked parents for guiding their children on their educational journeys.
"Be the change you want to see in the world," McKnight said. "Thank you for the guardians who help them because we know it takes a village to raise a child."
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Kim Green, the Mu Upsilon Omega chapter’s president, welcomed scholarship recipients and guests to the ceremony.
"It (the foundation) is the charitable arm of the sorority," Green said. "We hope you find it as fulfilling like we have. We look forward to acknowledging you for your hard work."
The scholarship recipients are:
• Alaya Allen of Gainesville High School
• Ausia Baig of GHS
• Shanaya Brown of GHS
• Kristen Cooper of P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School
• Aayanna Dozier of Newberry High School
• A’Mari Drummond of GHS
• Rynae Harris of GHS
• Nilah Hicks of Santa Fe High School
• Sherilyn Lagunas of Newberry High School
• Victoria Leath of Eastside High School
• Xiah Moore of P.K. Yonge
• Adrianna Peterson of EHS
• Sandra Pulido of NHS
• Claudette Strickland of GHS
• Tamia Wilson of GHS
Justice Alexander, an EHS graduate, received the 2024 By Culture and By Merit $500 scholarship awarded by the Iota Lambda chapter of the AKAs.
Symone Alford and Makayla Raphael of the Iota Lambda chapter at the University of Florida presented the scholarship to Alexander.
Alford, secretary and chaplain of the UF chapter, said she was the 2021 recipient of the Twenty Pearls Foundation scholarship and appreciates giving back to the community.
"I love being able to give back," Alford said. "It is very fulfilling to be able to give back to the sorority that's been blessing me for so many years. Justice excelled tremendously at Eastside High School and we know she is a great recipient for the scholarship."
Raphael, scholarship chair of the UF chapter, said she is looking forward to seeing Alexander's success transition to her collegiate endeavors.
"We are excited to see what she does in the fall and how she impacts the UF campus," Raphael said.
The ceremony's guest speaker was 2023 scholarship recipient Michaela Cromarty.
Cromarty, a student at Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina, talked about her experience thus far in college balancing academics and sports.
"There's so many good things happening in college as long as you remain secure," Cromarty said. "Take time to understand yourself more. When you open yourself up to more experiences, you grow and it helps you develop into the woman you were destined to be one day."
Rynae Harris, one of the 2024 scholarship recipients, said she is grateful to receive the scholarship.
She plans on enrolling at Santa Fe College to sign up for its X-ray Tech program.
"This is a very lovely event," Harris said. "I do appreciate it because they didn't have to, but they chose to do it."
Her advice to rising seniors is to remain focused on graduating high school and create a plan for the future.
"Enjoy it while you can because it goes by fast," Harris said. "You need a game plan for the future especially in the summer because you do not want to be left behind."
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Nearly $300K in scholarships awarded by AKAs since 2006 in G'ville
