MLK Association Announces Youth Scholarship Winners

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County, Inc. has announced the winners of its 2015 MLK Scholarship and Youth Leadership Awards.

The two scholarship recipients are graduates of North Buncombe High School and Asheville High School, and plan to attend the University of North Carolina Asheville beginning this fall.

Asheville High graduate Michael D. Davis will receive a 2015 MLK Youth Scholarship of $1,250; he is also being honored with the 2015 Youth Leadership Award, designed to recognize students for their leadership skills, civic and social justice advocacy, and mentorship of other students. A member of the National Honor Society, graduate of the City of Asheville’s Youth Leadership Academy (CAYLA), and member of Asheville City School’s Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) program, Davis is known in the community for his social and civic activism, including his work as a special needs counselor for students with developmental disabilities at Malvern Hills.

Ulisse Rotolo, a graduate of North Buncombe HS, will receive an award in the amount of $750. He has served as captain of North Buncombe’s Varsity Soccer Team, is the founder of the school’s debate club, and is actively engaged in anti-bullying and animal rights campaigns. He will join Mr. Davis as a freshman at UNC Asheville this fall.

Also recognized for their community involvement and civic leadership are Shaunessy Lofton and Janhi Gilliland, both graduates of Asheville High School. They will attend UNC Greensboro and Western Carolina University, respectively.

Oralene Simmons, founder and president of the MLK Association, said what a privilege it is to support students who aspire to higher education and leadership. “We are pleased to honor outstanding young people in our community who exemplify the philosophy and ideal of Dr. King through services to others,” she said.

This year’s MLK Youth Scholarship Awards, totaling $2,000, were funded entirely by patrons of the annual MLK Prayer Breakfast at the Crowne Plaza Resort.

Judges for the awards included Teresa White, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, Home Trust Bank; Tracey Johnston-Crum, Director of Public Relations & Community Outreach, The Omni Grove Park Inn; Laura Misner, College Foundation of North Carolina; Harriett Ray, retired Asheville City School teacher, and Amina Kone, President of the Black Student Association, UNC Asheville.

A reception honoring the nominees will be held Wednesday, June 17 at 5:30 p.m. at Buncombe County Courthouse, New Courts Building, at 60 Court Plaza in Asheville. Joining the ceremony will be Dr. Tony Baldwin, Superintendent of Buncombe County Schools; Dr. Pamela Baldwin, Superintendent of Asheville City Schools; Buncombe County Sheriff Van Duncan, and other dignitaries.

For more information, please contact Oralene Simmons at [email protected] or by telephone at (828) 281-1624.