Arlington Students Honored With STAR Scholarships

Arlington Public Schools issued a release announcing that 143 Arlington middle and high school students were recognized by the STAR Scholarship Foundation. Read the names of these students and the entire release below, or click here. 

"The STAR Scholarship Foundation recently recognized 143 Arlington Public Schools middle and high school students for their achievement in the classroom.

Since 1993, the non-profit foundation has awarded more than $1.3 million in scholarships and merit awards to African American and black students in Arlington and Richmond, Va., Washington, D.C., Montgomery County, Md., and Oakland, Calif.

Students may apply for the scholarships during grades 9, 10, and 11 for a potential maximum award of $3,000. The money is held in trust by the STAR Scholarship Foundation until the students enroll in an accredited college or vocational school.

Students completed a formal application, wrote an essay, and submitted recommendations from teachers, employers, and/or community leaders. The STAR Board of Directors then selected and interviewed the semi-finalists to determine this year's scholarship award recipients.

2011 Scholarship Recipients (for high school students)

At the 19th Annual STAR Awards Luncheon on Sun, June 19, 37 high school students received certificates of merit and STAR scholarships ranging from $250 - $1,000.

$1,000 STAR Scholarships:

Bemnat Agegnehu – Yorktown

Biruktawit Assefa – H-B Woodlawn

Daniel Brown – Wakefield

Brandon Clayton – Washington-Lee

Bethel Dejene – Yorktown

Bethlehem Demissie – Washington-Lee

Moussa Dia – Washington-Lee

Lysa Diarra – Washington-Lee

Dawite Ewnetu – Wakefield

Selasi Fynn – Washington-Lee

Sofonia Getachew – Washington-Lee

Derek Henderson – Washington-Lee

Joshua Inyangson – Washington-Lee

De’Jah Lee – Washington-Lee

Florena Makuiza – Yorktown

Erin Morris – Washington-Lee

Matthew Morris – Yorktown

Zachary Porter – Yorktown

Martina Usanase – Washington-Lee

$250 STAR Scholarships:

Isaias Dawit – Wakefield

Kirubel Fessesework – Washington-Lee

Nevyat Gebru – Washington-Lee

Olivia Green – Washington-Lee

Dawit Jabessa – Washington-Lee

Abidi Jima – Wakefield

Saron Kebede – Washington-Lee

Cassandra Kendall – H-B Woodlawn

Leila Matta – Yorktown

Edom Mesfin – Washington-Lee

Seim Michael – Washington-Lee

Lavelle Perry – Wakefield

Edna Samron – Washington-Lee

Certificates of Merit:

Hiruy Ephrem, – Washington-Lee

Brandon Justice – Yorktown

Mesfin Eyou-Ab – Washington-Lee

Alazar Missiker – Washington-Lee

Madison Moran – Yorktown

2011 STAR Merit Awards (for middle school students)

In addition, 117 APS middle school students were also recognized at a June 9 reception. Students received Certificates of Merit or cash awards ranging from $25 - $150.

Certificate of Merit Awards

Sixth Grade

Majida Ben Jemaa – Kenmore           

Nabetse Butler – Williamsburg          

Yomiyu Duguma – Jefferson 

Elijah Harvey – H-B Woodlawn       

Cristina Meadows – Swanson           

Mickal Mikuria – Swanson    

Kamesha Pyos – Kenmore     

Seventh Grade

Troy Addison – Gunston       

Jessica Henderson – Jefferson           

AuJordan Hunt – H-B Woodlawn    

Preston Sepulveda – Williamsburg    

Eighth Grade

Alexa Charlery – Kenmore      

Jakuan Crews – Gunston       

Kyara Hamilton – Kenmore   

DaQuay Harris-Winbush – Kenmore

George Hawkins – Kenmore  

DaShae Minor – Williamsburg           

Ashanti Mumin – Gunston    

Breone Nash – Gunston         

Antonio Veney – Kenmore    

Faben Zeleke – Kenmore       

$25 STAR Merit Awards

Sixth Grade

Jaquan Andrews – Kenmore

Sean Franklin – Swanson

Aron Hagos – Swanson

Ariana Harris – Kenmore

Andrea Moye – Williamsburg

Quimari Mullins – Kenmore

Adil Parker – Williamsburg

Natneal Rike – Kenmore

Amir Soliman – Gunston

Princess Stevens – Kenmore

Zeru Tadesse – Kenmore

Filmon Tafere – Jefferson

Christine Wanda – H-B Woodlawn

DanaYoung – Gunston 

$50 STAR Merit Awards

Sixth Grade

Mahmoud Abdelkarim – Kenmore

Christian Clark – Jefferson

Nicholas Conklu – Gunston

Deon Gant – Jefferson

Ashley Jones – Jefferson

Nadia Rhodes – Jefferson

Jordan Simpson – H-B Woodlawn

Yuyada Tesfay – Kenmore

Biruktawit Tibebe – Gunston

Destiny Washington – Kenmore

Seventh Grade

Ericka Allen – Jefferson

Mohamed Awad Bahr – Jefferson

Sasha Brown – Gunston

Charles Chandler – Kenmore

Diamond Dean – Gunston

Liya Hagoss – Gunston

Ruth Hailu – Jefferson

London Hall – Jefferson

Eyerusalem Meaza – Jefferson

Taneal Miller – Jefferson

Aaron Moye – Williamsburg

Helen Nowlin – Jefferson

Alexis Reyes – Gunston

Jeremiah Rhodes – Gunston

Sisay Sendek – Jefferson

$75 STAR Merit Awards

Eighth Grade

Nebil Abdoush – Gunston

Hermela Araya – Williamsburg

Jadah Clarke – Gunston

Chantell Denney – Swanson

Hadiatou Diallo – Kenmore

Eman Eman – Kenmore

Kye Farrow – Gunston

Mahelet Haile – Kenmore

Lyric Hatcher – Kenmore

Deangelo Jones – Gunston

Darian Lee – Gunston

Hewan Lemma – Jefferson

Mbayadem Steve Maobelem – Jefferson

Milen Mehari – Kenmore

Shamsadean Mirghani – Swanson

Izzadean Mirghani – Swanson

Precious Moten – Kenmore

Noha Osman – Kenmore

Bo Sampson – Kenmore

Mahlet Samron – Kenmore

Bemnet Seyoum – Kenmore

Iman Soliman – Gunston

Dondre Summers – Gunston

La'Shea Thomas – Swanson

Julia Toure – Gunston

Jasmine Washington-Price – Kenmore

Bernard White Jr. – Gunston

Mecca Whiters-Russell – Kenmore

$100 STAR Merit Awards

Seventh Grade

KaelanBrown – Jefferson

AlaynaCarey – Gunston

JohnDevlin – H-B Woodlawn

Shyelle Harber – Swanson

Anise Jordan-Dorsey – Kenmore

Mikayla Lawrence – Gunston

Kierra Nelson – Jefferson

Callie Randall – Kenmore

Naomi Richmond – Jefferson

Kofi Roberts – Kenmore

Mussa Seid – Kenmore

Joshua Semere – H-B Woodlawn

Marisa Sydnor – Jefferson

Rediat Taye – Williamsburg

Beraki Yosief – Jefferson

$150 STAR Merit Awards

Eighth Grade

Marwa Awad Bahr – Jefferson

Zoe Broussard – Gunston

Miranda Carpenter – Jefferson

Lydia Elias – Jefferson

Rita Hagos – Swanson

Rim Haile – Jefferson

Jasmine Latney – Gunston

Gebrelwa Mikuria – Swanson

Brandi Moore – Kenmore

Destiny Willingham – Jefferson

Rebecca Yohannes – Swanson 

For more information about the STAR Scholarship Foundation, call Jane Fox Johnson at 202-362-4700."