The achievements of area graduating high-school seniors were announced and celebrated the morning of May 21 in the grand ballroom at Springfield Golf & Country Club. There, the Northern Virginia Athletic Directors Administrators and Coaches Association (NVADACA) held its annual awards scholarship breakfast banquet.
In all, 25 high-school seniors received separate $5,000 college scholarships from the organization, chosen from among a record 153 who applied and some 400 who initially started the application process.
Applicants are chosen from 30 public high-schools from the counties of Arlington and Fairfax and the cities of Alexandria and Falls Church. Scholarships are named after current or late NVADACA members.
“It’s a very hard process getting down to 25 because all of the applicants are deserving,” NVADACA member and one of the masters of ceremonies Jeff Wilson said.
Winners were introduced at the banquet by Wilson and club president Yvonne Griggs.
“You can see the future is in great hands,” Wilson said about the winners.
One of the guest speakers was 2023 NVADACA scholarship recipient Zach Bendorf, who attends the University of South Carolina. His message to the winners was to be open minded when entering college and be willing to leave your comfort zone and meet people.”
Bendorf’s father, Pete Bendorf, also was a guest speaker, following his son. He advised parents to be “patient” with their kids’ ups and downs when they enter college, because “Success is right there around the corner.”
Brief biographies about their high-school accomplishments and involvements were read about each winner. Most were high-achieving athletes, who also were involved in many other school and community organizations, or held jobs.
One owned a lawn service, another worked at a barber shop, others organized fund-raisers or volunteered at churches and community and senior centers.
Personal statements from each winner were read and it was announced where many will attend college.
Founded in 1976, NVADACA has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships to some 570 seniors, beginning with annual grants in 1980. There was only one scholarship for $500 awarded that year.
The list of the 2024 scholarship winners follows.
Thatcher Swinton, Herndon High School (Mary O. Ambler Memorial Scholarship); Mackenzie Kingswell, South Lakes High School (Patricia A. Bergan Memorial Scholarship); Sophia Decker, Thomas Jefferson High School (Richard C. Bosley Scholarship); Malek Ben, Washington-Liberty High School (Elizabeth S. Brooks Memorial Scholarship); Semir Ali, Annandale High School (Ralph E. Buckley Memorial Scholarship); Nicholas Adjei-Ababio, Lewis High School (William Jackson Burkholder Memorial Scholarship); Lilia Kim, Fairfax High School (Patrick Cunningham Memorial Scholarship); Cliodhna Collins, Justice High School (George Felton Memorial Scholarship); Natalie Kaldahl, Wakefield High School (John R. Grinnell Memorial Scholarship); Makeda Endalkachew, Justice High School (Virgil B. Harris Jr. Memorial Scholarship); Kevin Kabasele, McLean High School (Herb Holt Memorial Scholarship); Keiera Fu, Marshall High School (Marvel Emogene “Jean” Johnson Memorial Scholarship); Joseph Blumberg, West Springfield High School (George A. Keim Memorial Scholarship); Owen Korzak, Fairfax High School (Tommy Lyles Memorial Scholarship); Caitlyn Clark, Fairfax High School (Jimmie Miller Memorial Scholarship); Josie Gieseman, Washington-Liberty High School (Rachael E. Peters Memorial Scholarship) and Claire Kim, Langley High School (Thomas H. Porter, Jr. Memorial Scholarship).
Also, Olivia Montante, Edison High School (Charles L. Price Memorial Scholarship); Nairi Masih, West Potomac High School (Jim Ross Memorial Scholarship); Camille Stephant, McLean High School (Del Wilson Memorial Scholarship); Nour Ben Hammouda, Washington-Liberty High School (John C. Youngblood Memorial Scholarship); Clara Clayton, Herndon High School (Robert F. Clark Memorial Scholarship); Adan Eftekhari, Fairfax High School (Fran Kibler Memorial Scholarship); Sarah Pritz, Lake Braddock Secondary School (Maryann Schwab Scholarship) and Brandon Stotts, Fairfax High School, (Jeff Wilson Scholarship).