Hoover Service Club awards $41,000 in scholarships to Hoover, Spain Park students
The Hoover Service Club today gave out $41,000 in scholarships and awards to 11 students from Hoover and Spain Park high schools and honored six middle school students for exemplary academic performance and citizenship.
The scholarships were made possible by Hoover Service Club fundraisers and a $5,000 contribution from the Jefferson County Commission, said Gwen Grasso, who led the scholarship committee with Lynda Holliman.
The club gave out the scholarships during a luncheon at the Hoover Country Club, attended by club members, the students’ families and leaders from the city and school system.
Here are the 2019 scholarship recipients and their college plans:
- Katherine Cohen of Hoover High, who is headed to Auburn University to study engineering.
- Danah Dib of Hoover High, who is headed to the University of Alabama at Birmingham to study political science and finance.
- Jesse Kelley of Hoover High, who is headed to Birmingham-Southern College to study education and play football.
- Aleah Moon of Hoover High, who is headed to the University of Alabama with plans of becoming a physician.
- Anne Stewart of Hoover High, who is headed to the University of Alabama to study business and public relations.
- Crestin Abawi of Spain Park High, who is headed to the University of Alabama at Birmingham to study nursing.
- Hope Brown of Spain Park High, who is headed to Samford University to study music education and vocal performance.
- Mary Hiers of Spain Park High, who is headed to Samford University to study education.
- Sydney Le of Spain Park High, who is headed to the University of Alabama at Birmingham to study computer science and art.
The Service Club gave out two $500 community service awards, in memory of former club member Margaret Alford, to students who have demonstrated outstanding community service. The 2019 winners were Jessica Bradley of Hoover High and Caroline McCabe of Spain Park High.
Bradley, who is headed to the Georgia Institute of Technology, helped create and served as president of a student service organization called Hoover Girls Code in which she mentored and taught emerging female entrepreneurs and programmers in computer science, science, technology, engineering and math. She also founded and served as president of the International Baccalaureate Student Leadership Council, which planned at least 16 academic and social events each year. She was president of the DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) chapter at Hoover and vice president of the state organization. She led a fundraiser that raised more than $7,000 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and she has her own jewelry and photography businesses.
McCabe, who is headed to Auburn University to study business, volunteered with the Peer Helpers and was able to help teach English to an elementary student. During her freshman and sophomore years, she logged the most volunteer hours for the American Heart Association. She also has volunteered at Children’s of Alabama hospital, Children’s Harbor and the Ronald McDonald House and has served as captain of the Spain Park girls golf team this year.
Middle school students recognized for outstanding academic performance were Richard Wright of Berry, Dominic Renda of Bumpus and Alexander Brockmann of Simmons.
Middle school students honored for outstanding citizenship were Ryan McKern of Berry, Ava Slocum of Bumpus and Lucy Wills of Simmons.
Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato encouraged all of the students not to just be grateful for the scholarships and awards they received but to look for ways to “pay forward” and continue to find avenues for service.
“Find out exactly where you can serve, how you fit in and where you can do the most for your community,” he said.
New Hoover Service Club President Liesa Pitts joined Brocato in encouraging the young people to come back to Hoover after graduating college to continue making Hoover a great place to live.
Hoover schools Superintendent Kathy Murphy thanked the Hoover Service Club for its generosity, congratulated the students on their scholarships and awards and thanked the school system employees who poured into their lives over the years. This prompted a standing ovation from those in the crowd.