Page 20 - June JSF report

ELEVATION SCHOLARS GRADUATION REPORT
MAY 22, 2023
Johnson Scholarship Foundation attendees:
Bea Awoniyi, JSF Board of Directors Lady Hereford, Program Specialist
To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Elevation Scholars hosted its annual awards ceremony at the Orlando Ballet Center. The event celebrated 15 college graduates in the program’s fifth cohort, known as Class 5. The ceremony also highlighted 17 high school graduates who make up Class 9, and it welcomed Class 10, which consists of 18 rising seniors. The event was as much a celebration for the families as it was for the students. Excitement filled the air as the students, their parents and their siblings enjoyed refreshments and musical entertainment in the spacious lobby. They soon made their way into a large ballroom with stadium-style seating, and it didn’t take long for the room to fill to capacity. The student honorees enjoyed
special seating at round tables near the stage area.
The evening also served a secondary purpose as a donor event. In addition
to JSF, representatives of several of the organization’s other supporters were in attendance. Elevation Scholars is in Year 3 of a 3-year, 1:1 matching grant with
JSF totaling $150,000.
As the program began, Elevation Scholars President Scott Lee welcomed those in attendance and those attending via live stream. When the program began 10 years ago, he and his colleagues asked themselves a question: Is there leadership talent in Title 1 schools that others have missed? The answer turned out to be an emphatic “yes”, and they also learned that top colleges wanted those students as well. As Scott explained, these students bring positive change with them everywhere they go.
Aminah Harris, the Program Manager, then took the stage. She noted that Elevation Scholars has served 132 scholars and made $3.3 million in awards. Additionally, 96 Scholars have earned $16 million in financial aid from colleges and universities. Her remarks were followed by a video presentation showcasing Class 5. These outstanding students are graduating from Babson College, Brandeis University, FAMU, Franklin & Marshall College, FSU, Morehouse College, Wake Forest University, Wesleyan University, and the University of Florida.
Many are pursuing graduate degrees. Afterward, several of the Class 5 students came to the stage to be recognized.
Next came words of inspiration from Karl Melo, a board member of Elevation Scholars and a director at KPMG. He shared
the story of his upbringing in the west African nation
of Cameroon. Karl grew up in poverty as one of 6
children. He looked up to his father, who defied the odds and pursued higher education. As a result, Karl grew up knowing he could aspire
to be the best. He encouraged the students to seize this opportunity. He told them to create the future they envision.
Page 18 June Report