CHAPEL HILL – The North Carolina High School Athletic Association has announced the winners of the Willie Bradshaw Memorial Endowed Scholarship. The Willie Bradshaw Endowed Scholarship provides $750 of scholarship support to an outstanding African American, American Indian/Alaska Native and/or Asian Pacific Islander American, or Hispanic American student-athlete participating on a sanctioned varsity team at an NCHSAA member school.

Out of the regional recipients, one male and one female student athlete will be selected as a state scholarship recipient and each will receive an additional $1,000 scholarship.  The state recipients will be announced at the Annual Meeting.   In addition to the $750 to each student, one male and one female recipient will receive an additional $1000 award at the NCHSAA’s Annual Meeting held on Thursday, May 4 at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill.

2017 Recipients

Region 1 – Marcasia Smith, Gates County High School

Region 2 – Eliana Isabella Carpenter, John T. Hoggard High School

Region 3 – Anaia Elizia Brewster, Durham School of the Arts

Region 3 – Noel Buitrago, Garner Magnet High School

Region 4 – Corey Lee Smith, Richmond High School

Region 5 – Cameron Rosas Wuotto, John T M. Morehead High School

Region 5 – Justin Tyree Hairston, Reidsville High School

Region 6 – Kay’lla Alana Richardson, Mallard Creek High School

Region 6 – Dayjaun Cunningham-Brown, Mallard Creek High School

Region 7 – Genesis Noemi Zavala, Newton-Conover High School

Region 7 – Jalil Khateeb Thompson, Hickory High School

Region 8 – Parker Alexander Kekoa Chatham, Swain County High School

Marcasia Smith – Gates County High School

Marcasia Smith carries a 3.90 weighted GPA through her four-year career and participated in Cheerleading, Basektball, Cross Country, and Softball. She was MVP of the basketball team her junior year and has been named to the All-Conference team in each sport at least once during her career. She plans to study Physical Therapy.

Eliana Isabella Carpenter – John T. Hoggard High School

Eliana Carpenter carries a 4.41 weighted GPA through her four-year career and participated in Volleyball, Basketball and Track and Field during her career at Hoggard. In Volleyball she has twice been awarded the “Top Gun” Award for the most kills on the season and has been team captain for both Volleyball and Basketball. She plans to attend UNC-Charlotte where she will study Elementary Education.

Anaia Elizia Brewster – Durham School of the Arts

An outstanding student at Durham School of the Arts, Anaia Brewster has participated in Track and Field, Basketball and Volleyball. She is a member of the National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society. She has received the Mayor’s Award for volunteer service. She plays tenor saxophone and has been accepted at more than five universities. She plans to study pre-Medicine.

Noel Buitrago – Garner Magnet High School

Noel Buitrago carries an impressive 5.30 weighted GPA during his four-year career at Garner and has been a member of the Swimming and Diving team all four years. He was named the Team MVP his junior season and was given WRAL’s prestigious Tom Suitor Extra Effort Award this year. He plans to attend either UNC or NC State and study Chemical Engineering.

Corey Lee Smith – Richmond High School

Corey Smith carries a 4.10 weighted GPA during his four-year career at Richmond High School and has participated in Soccer and Wrestling during his career. He has been named all-conference in both sports and all-region in soccer. He was named the Soccer team’s MVP in his junior year. He enjoys swimming and reading his history book as well as participating in the school’s BETA Club. He plans to study Accounting during his collegiate years.

Cameron Rosas Wuotto – John M. Morehead High School

Cameron Rosas Wuotto has compiled a 4.58 weighted GPA during her four-year career at John M. Morehead High School all while participating on the Varsity Soccer and Swimming and Diving teams. The soccer team won the conference and county championships during her sophomore season and she was a captain of the team her junior season. She is also a member of the Marching and Concert Bands as well as a volunteer soccer coach at the local YMCA. She plans to study Physical Therapy as she heads off to college in the fall.

Justin Tyree Hairston – Reidsville High School

Justin Hairston holds a 3.87 weighted GPA through four years at Reidsville where he played Football, Basketball and ran Track & Field. Hairston has been named to the All-Conference team in Track and twice in Football. He was a part of Reidsville’s 2A State Championship Football team this fall. He is a YMCA youth volunteer basketball coach and annually assists with the Kings of Royalty Annual Food Drive. He plans to attend North Carolina A&T in the fall to study Management Information Systems.

Kay’lla Alana Richardson – Mallard Creek High School

Kay’lla Richardson carries a 4.80 weighted GPA over her four-year career at Mallard Creek where she was a member of the volleyball and basketball programs. She was granted the “Most Improved” Award in basketball her junior year and was named Captain of the team for her Senior season. She is a member of the National Honors Society and is a member of the School’s Executive Class Council. She plans to attend either NC State or UNC in the fall to study Biology.

Dayjaun Cunningham-Brown – Mallard Creek High School

Dayjaun Cunningham-Brown was a member of the basketball team at Mallard Creek during his four-year career at the school. He volunteers each summer with a community basketball league, helping out where needed. He enjoys creating video collections of basketball highlights. He has completed the Veterinary Explorer Program and hopes to attend a university in the fall to study Health Administration.

Jalil Thompson – Hickory High School

Jalil Thompson carries a 4.62 weighted GPA at Hickory where he was a member of the Football and Track and Field programs. He has been the Offensive Line Captain for two years, and has been a member of the National Honor Society and BETA Club. He is also a member of the Hickory City Council’s “Youth City Council” while serving as a mentor through the City of Refuge Mentoring program. He plans to attend study Chemical Engineering as he attends University in the fall.

Genesis Noemi Zavala – Newton-Conover and Bunker Hill High Schools

Genesis Zavala carries a 4.20 weighted GPA through her four-year high school career that spans time at Newton-Conover and Bunker Hill High Schools. She has participated in Cross Country and Outdoor Track while staying active as a member of the Spanish, Debate, BETA and Key Clubs. She has volunteered with Operation Christmas Child and has served at the Corner Table soup kitchen. She hopes to study Political Science when she begins her college career in the fall.

Parker Alexander Kekoa Chatham – Swain County High School

Parker Chatham holds a 4.60 weighted GPA through his four-year career at Swain County where he participated in the Cross Country and Track & Field programs. He has been All-Conference in each sport was the Cross Country team’s Most Valuable Runner in each of the last three years. He has qualified for the State Meet in cross country sports since his sophomore and qualified for the State Meet in Track & Field his junior season.