2025 Youth Scholarship Recipients
On the evening of June 11, 2025, the Martin Luther King Association of Asheville and Buncombe County held its annual College Scholarship Ceremony at the Wesley Grant Center Auditorium. Seven students received scholarships.
Applicants were required to show how they emulate the dream and teachings of Dr. King by (a) exhibiting concern for disadvantaged or oppressed people, (b) showing evidence that they have participated in community, civic or school affairs, (c) explaining how they have promoted community betterment, and (d) demonstrating academic success in high school.
The list below includes the names of the awardees, their high schools, and the college that they’ve chosen to attend.
- Agya Boakie-Boaten (School of Inquiry and Life Sciences at Asheville) will attend North Carolina A&T State University.
- Areana Cartledge Smith (Clyde A. Erwin High School) will attend University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
- Ayla Peters (Owen High School) will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
- Charles Jones (School of Inquiry and Life Sciences at Asheville) will attend North Carolina A&T State University.
- Ever van Rijssen (AC Reynolds High School) will attend Furman University.
- Jayden Thomas (AC Reynolds High School) will attend NC State University.
- Sophia Bella Glover (Asheville High School) will attend University of South Carolina.
See more about these extraordinary students by viewing the 2025 Award Ceremony video.
To find out more about the Martin Luther King Association’s Scholarship Program, see below, or email mlkavlscholarship@gmail.com.