The 10 Annual OVAASA (Ohio Valley African American Students Association) Awards Banquet was held on Thursday, May 9, at River City Restaurant, to recognize 31 seniors throughout schools in the Ohio Valley. Keynote speaker was Demetrius Baldwin-Youngblood, faculty member and coach at The Linsly School.
Along with the students recognized for their academic accomplishments, one African American educator, Brian Walker, was honored with the Wanda C. Brown Award for Educator of the Year. One retired African American educator, Edith Fuller, was honored with the Burial “Bo” Holmes Award. The Michael Green Memorial Award for the student who achieved academic success despite overcoming extreme adversity was Donovan Goddard. Also, the OVAASA Phoenix Award for Academic Achievement from a non-traditional student was Kiesha Phillips.
Scholarship winners were:
Ohio University Eastern Merit Scholarship: Sheldon Lekanudos
WVNCC OVAASA Scholarship: Barak D. Lear II
WVNCC OVAASA Scholarship: Jamaiah Hairston
Wheeling Jesuit OVAASA Scholarship: Nyree’Anna Bledsoe
Tito’s Sloppy Dogg Culinary Arts Scholarship: Dallon Jones
Helping Hand/Listening Ear Psychology Scholarship: Ariana Hickman
Helping Hand/Listening Ear Psychology Scholarship: Kyla Leigh
The Timothy Midget “Know Thyself” Artistic Scholarship: Jordan Spears
Daugherty Foundation Scholarship: TeVon Minor
Ronald Scott Sr. Armed Forces Scholarship: Donovan Goddard
Daugherty Foundation Scholarship: Neveah Lekanudos
Daugherty Foundation Scholarship: De’Vaughn McWhorter
Stradwick Family Scholarship: Nathaniel Blakely
Stradwick Family Scholarship: Haley Brown
Students honored with OVAASA Academic Achievement plaques were:
Seairah Wiley
Kyla Leigh
Ty Leigh
Barak David Lear II
Taryn Davis
Chandreonia Harris
De’Vaugh McWhorter
Kayla Young
Sheldon Lekanudos
Quadaizhanique Lumpkin
Nataya Bartlett
Nevaeh Colliers
Ariana Hickman
Nyree’Anna Bledsoe
Nevaeh Lekanudos
Keondre’ King
Anthony Robbins
Nathaniel Thomas Blakely
Jamiaha Hairson
Donovan Goddard
Haley Michelle Brown
Dallon Jones
Thomas Aronokhale
Sarah Munoru
Kendria Butler
Mikal Elijah Warfield-Payne
Corban James-Barret
Calvin McGaha
Tevon Minor
Jaylen Rouse
Jordan Spears
Quincy Dameron
Sponsors for the event were the YWCA of Wheeling, Stradwick’s FadeCave and McCormick Stables.