The Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association (NACCA) announced the recipients of the 2023 NACCA Scholarship during an award ceremony Wednesday night in Newmarket.
This year’s scholarship award recipients are Aime Ayonote, Jahlia De Leon-Hurley, Maram Elhag, Matthew Hart, Lola Irelewuyi, Julia Jones, Eden Marshall, Fola Olusanya, and Maya Weekes.
“Our scholarship recipients are high achievers who exemplify pride in their self-identity and commitment to service in the broader community,” said NACCA chairperson Jerisha Grant-Hall in a news release. “They demonstrate a strong capacity for leadership both now and into the future.”
The scholarship supports outstanding scholars who are entering their first year of post-secondary studies, with NACCA providing up to $5,000 toward the cost of tuition.
The nine scholarship award winners will be pursuing studies in post-secondary fields such as nursing, digital marketing, economics, business studies, law, childhood and youth studies, life sciences, health sciences, and kinesiology.
“The NACCA scholarship award recognizes what these remarkable young people have already achieved and opens the door for them to build on their passions in the pursuit of uplifting their community,” Grant-Hall said.
NACCA also presented the Iris Malcolm Memorial Award to Elhag.
“Maram is an outstanding student who inspires us all with her determination to achieve what others may believe is impossible,” Grant-Hall said. “Maram is a young leader who is articulate, caring, insightful, eager and tremendously hard working. She has the skills and character worthy of a recipient of the NACCA scholarship.
The Wasim Jarrah Business Excellence Award was presented to both Elhag and Matthew Hart.
“Maram Elhag and Matthew Hart are accomplished students who have demonstrated excellence in their studies and have been accepted to business studies programs at Western University and the University of Waterloo,” Grant-Hall said. “We are excited to witness what the future has in store for these young leaders and are happy to support their academic goals.”
