Members of the Dollarway High School Class of 2017 received more than $1.2 million in scholarship offers and awards, according to a news release.
“This has been a great year in our new location and you have adjusted well,” Yolanda Prim, Dollarway High School principal, said during the graduation ceremony. “Graduation is the highlight of all we’ve worked for and I’m so proud of each of you and what you have achieved.”
Among the top graduates were valedictorian, Heather Bush and salutatorian, Kayla Kirklin. Honor graduates were Brianna Allen, Ashanti Cooper, Laqueda Johnson, Tierra Laws, Logan Shoap, Jordan Sims, Keonna Thomas and Rodney Tinzie.
Bush accepted the academic scholarship to the University of Arkansas at Monticello with a four-year value of $24,000. Kirklin accepted the University Centurium scholarship to Henderson State University, which has a four year value of $28,000.
Both students also accepted the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship, which has a four-year value of $14,000.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
UAPB awarded more than $84,000 in academic and choir scholarships to several students, including Ashanti Cooper, who accepted the Dean’s Scholarship and the Academic Challenge.
The largest award of $126,000 went to Xavier Johnson, who enlisted with the United States Army, and received the Montgomery G.I. Bill Tuition Assistance scholarship, bonus, and is also eligible for the Academic Challenge Scholarship.
Javion McDowell also signed with the Arkansas National Guard.
Other scholarship awards went to Keonna Thomas, who had combined scholarship awards of around $60,000 from Arkansas State University, Arkansas Tech University and the Academic Challenge. Logan Shoap accepted the UALR Chancellor’s Leadership Corps Award, the Academic Challenge and the National Guard Tuition Scholarship for a total of $109,000. Rodney Tinzie was also awarded a University of Arkansas at Little Rock Chancellor’s Scholarship, The Trinity Foundation Scholarship and the Academic Challenge Scholarship totaling more than $52,000.
Jayana Sanders, top female scorer in the state for women’s basketball, signed her letter of intent to play for the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, and accepted their athletic scholarship.
Other athletes who signed letters of intent were Demetris Johnson and Keyyon Washington, who will be joining the men’s basketball team at Williams Baptist College, and received a combined athletic scholarship award of $54,000.
Southeast Arkansas College awarded more than $11,000 in scholarships to students, with Maurice Riley, receiving the Leadership Scholarship of $2,000.
Other college scholarships awarded were from Arkansas State University, Arkansas Tech University, University of Central Arkansas, Southern Arkansas University, University of Arkansas, University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, University of Memphis and Sterling College in Kansas.
A number of seniors also qualified to receive the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship. Each scholarship has a four-year institutional value of $14,000, and a two-year institutional value of $4,000. Recipients (pending final documents and approval) of this scholarship also include Brianna Allen, Devontae Brown, Robin Davis, Erianna Hudson, Demetris Johnson, Laqueda Johnson, Chonica Meadows, Keyana Morehead, Maurice Riley and Genevia Sims.