The first recipients of the One Westerville Scholarship are Chiedza “Chi Chi” Guyo of Westerville Central High School, Emmanuel Okyere of Westerville South High School and Miya Martin of Westerville North High School.
Guyo plans to study pre-pharmacy at the University of Cincinnati. Okyere is headed to Bowdoin College to study computer science and philosophy on a full four-year scholarship through QuestBridge’s National College Match, a program that connects high-achieving high school seniors from low-income backgrounds with scholarships to the country’s top universities. Martin is a Morrill Scholar at Ohio State University, where she will study criminology and criminal justice students on a pre-law track.
Two Westerville 2020 graduates — Ameena Freeman of WNHS and Tah’bre Yemi of WSHS — created the One Westerville Scholarship Fund in response to the racial justice protests over the summer following the death of George Floyd. A scholarship fund, they said, offered a way to support the black community in Westerville.
“Our objective was to raise awareness, and to demonstrate the importance of spreading kindness and positivity during challenging times,” Freeman said.
They worked with other Westerville graduates and district staff to launch the fund, creating a committee to set the criteria for the scholarship and raising money to provide a $1,500 scholarship for a recipient at each of the district’s high schools.
“The name ‘One Westerville’ speaks not only to our vision, but also to the spirit of collaboration that exists within our community,” Yemi said.
Other members of the One Westerville Scholarship Committee include: Alice Stevenson, a 2019 WNHS graduate, Kendall Browne, a 2019 WSHS graduate and Rick Bannister, a 1983 WSHS graduate and chief executive officer and founder of neighborhood bridges.
“’Seeking equity for students so they can engage and succeed in school and life’ is a pillar of neighborhood bridges’ mission,” Bannister said. “We applaud the efforts of the young alumni team that made the One Westerville Scholarship a reality, and congratulate the exceptional students who won. It is such an honor to be involved with this initiative.”