On the evening of June 1, the Martin Luther King Association of Asheville and Buncombe County held its annual College Scholarship Ceremony at Lenoir-Rhyne University’s Asheville campus. Fifteen students received scholarships that totaled a collective $50,000, the highest amount of scholarship money that the Association has ever awarded in a calendar year. Leronica Casey, the coordinator of scholarships and donor relations at A-B Tech, who is also the co-host of the No Limits radio show on WRES 100.7FM, provided a keynote speech. Dr. Oralene Simmons, the Martin Luther King Association’s president, handed out awards to the students.

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. According to Dr. Michael Dempsey, Martin Luther King Association Board Member and Scholarship Committee Chairperson, 2023 was a banner year for the program. “We had dozens of amazingly inspiring applicants,” he said, “and our team of judges had a very hard time narrowing the group down to 15 winners. The Association is overjoyed to help this year’s awardees pursue their educational and professional goals.”

The list below includes the names of the awardees, their high schools, the college that they’ve chosen to attend, and the amount of each scholarship.

• Barfuo Boakye-Boaten (School of Inquiry and Life Sciences at Asheville), who will attend NC A&T University ($8,500 scholarship)
• Madilyn Deifell (Owen High School), UNC Chapel Hill ($5,000)
• Doni Palma-Roberto (Asheville High School), UNC Chapel Hill ($5,000)
• Janae Wofford (Nesbitt Discovery Academy), UNC Greensboro ($4,000)
• Kaliyah Thomas (School of Inquiry and Life Sciences at Asheville), Undecided (Spelman College, Salem College, or Albany College), $4,000)
• Imani Bellamy (School of Inquiry and Life Sciences at Asheville), UNC Charlotte ($4,000)
• Tia Irby (Asheville High School), New York University ($3,000)
• Harper Dechant (Asheville High), NC State University ($3,000)
• Salvador Lopez (Asheville High), UNC Pembroke ($3,000)
• Nancy Membreno (School of Inquiry and Life Sciences at Asheville), UNC Chapel Hill ($2,000)
• Daijah Elliott (School of Inquiry and Life Sciences at Asheville), UNC Charlotte ($2,000)
• Mia McMurry (Owen High School), Meredith College ($2,000)
• Julia Givens (Owen High School), UNC Chapel Hill ($1,500)
• Briana Gee (Reynolds High School), NC A&T University ($1,500)
• Kasiyah Byrd (Asheville High School), UNC Greensboro ($1,500)

To find out more about the Martin Luther King Association’s Scholarship Program, go to www.mlkasheville.org, or email mlkavlscholarships@gmail.com.