Scholarship recipients at the 2017 RMHC-AAFA Scholarship Luncheon at the Houstonian Hotel. (Photo courtesy of MOAGH)
By Tigner
College expenses just became more attainable for many Houston high school students. Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Greater Houston/Galveston, along with the Black McDonald’s Owner/Operators Association of Greater Houston awarded 25 high school seniors with prestigious RMHC® US Scholarships for their outstanding community involvement and academic performance.
On Friday, May 19, Ronald McDonald House Charities® and African American Future Achievers honored 25 well deserving students at a celebratory luncheon at Houston’s prestigious Houstonian Hotel. Each student’s academic prowess and community involvement was rewarded with a $2K scholarship and a Kindle Fire tablet.
“Year after year, we’re delighted to provide financial assistance to high school seniors who are continuing their education,” said Mary Redmond, president, RMHC® of Greater Houston/Galveston and local McDonald’s Owner/Operator. “It’s extremely rewarding to watch each and every student walk across the stage to receive their scholarship and know that in a few short weeks they will graduate high school, and this scholarship will help send them to college.”
Every year, Ronald McDonald House Charities®of Greater Houston/Galveston distributes nearly $200K in scholarships to area high school students. To date, RMHC® has granted more than $48M in scholarships to students in the United States and more than $3M to students in the Greater Houston area.
This year’s mistress of ceremonies was Melinda Spalding, co-anchor of Fox 26. The keynote speaker was 23-year-old Jonathan Miles. Miles is a general manager for McDonald’s in the Galleria area of Houston, where he is running a multi-million dollar restaurant. His ultimate goal is to one day become an owner/operator of McDonald’s.
Other dignitaries in attendance at this year’s prestigious ceremony included Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner; FOX 26 Vice President and General Manager D’Artagnan Bebel; Dave Moss, president Black McDonald’s Owner/Operators Association, along with a host of Black McDonald’s owner/operators of Greater Houston.
Congratulations to this year’s RMHC®/African American Future Achievers (AAFA) recipients: Rem Aitbouchireb, Kerr High School; Shania Baldwin, Reagan High School; Samaria Burgess, Taylor High School; Jada Davis, Carl Wunsche Senior High School; Myles Garriette, Taylor High School; Sierra Gordon, Conroe High School; Tyree Jackson, Carver High School for Applied Technology, Engineering and the Arts; Stephon Jones, Cypress Woods High School;\ Kayla Joseph, North Shore Senior High; Olakunbi Kolawole, KIPP Houston High School; Aliece Milton, Hargrave High School; Hausson Mitchell, Barbara Jordan High School; Lindsay Morgan, Impact Early College High School; Xzavier Mouton, Westbury Christian School; Danielle Nwosa, Clements High School; Olive Onyekwelu, Taylor High School; Chiwendu Owhochukwu, KIPP Houston High School; Briana Releford, Carver High School for Applied Technology, Engineering and the Arts; Ajani Smith-Washington, Debakey High School for Health Professionals; Oluwatoyin Sokoya, The Woodlands College Park High School; Ramani Talley, Summer Creek High School; Tiara Tillis, Victory Early College High School; Sara Washington, Deer Park High School; Ariah Watson, Summer Creek High School; Davion Zeno, Reagan High School.