2018 Call Federal Scholarship Winners

Alice S. Pearce Scholarship Winners

Bryce Badura

Bryce is currently attending the University of Notre Dame where he is pursuing degrees in computer science and entrepreneurship. While at James River High School, he founded the Varsity Outreach Club. In conjunction with other Chesterfield high schools, the club collected books, sporting goods, candy, gardening supplies, or any other useful but underutilized items and then matched them with an appropriate local charity or organization in need. The Varsity Outreach Club collected & donated over 4,000 items. Struck by this experience and using his growing knowledge in technology, he aims to create a global resource matching platform where underutilized resources are deployed in a way that not only meets the needs of the under-served around the world, but does so in an environmentally responsible way.

Emma Smithson

Emma is a senior at James River High School and will attend James Madison University in the fall. She has a passion for education. As a high school student, she volunteered with the remediation program at a Richmond City elementary school and has fallen in love with teaching, deeply moved by the resilience of the children she has met and mentored. Upon realizing how many of these seven year-olds have to take on major responsibilities within their homes and then come to school to learn without complaint, Emma decided to focus her future on being the biggest cheerleader for kids like them, to help them believe in their abilities and potential. Appropriately, she intends to study Elementary Education and return to Richmond to teach in the city.

Minoti Kishor

Minoti attends Henrico High School and will attend the University of Virginia this Fall. She is a model of her generation’s service leadership. As a volunteer with Ascend Hospice, which provides end-of-life support to patients in their care, Minoti took a particularly active role in the life of one of her patients and was recognized with their Outstanding Volunteer Award. She also gives her time to the Spanish-speaking community at Richmond’s Sacred Heart Center.  Her personal passion is expressing her culture through Bharatanatyam, a traditional Indian dance.  While it has taken her years to master the intricate movements, she is now able to teach them and share that heritage with others.

Nolan Zunk

Nolan is currently attending the Math and Science High School at Clover Hill.   He is planning on attending Washington & Lee next year.   His accomplishments are many and varied, including Eagle Scout, Class President, Captain of the Clover Hill Volleyball Team, and most importantly to him, Founder and Director of Torch Organization.  He founded Torch in middle school as an anti-bullying group although he refrains from calling it an anti-bullying group because he feels the realities of physical, verbal and emotional manipulation follows up out of school and even into the workforce.  His goal is to grow Torch to a nationwide organization in schools across the country.

Career & Technical Education (CTE) Scholarship Winners

Tonita Murphy

Tonita works at Davita Dialysis in Petersburg as a technician.  After sixteen years in this role, she realizes that her room for growth is limited and wants to further explore her passion for healthcare and compassion for others.  However, she raises two children on her own and is dedicated to putting their needs first. This scholarship will make going back to school to pursue a degree in nursing a reality. A co-worker describes her as hard working and reliable, the kind of person who has your back.

Zorah Artis

Zorah is currently pursuing an Associate degree in General Studies at J. Sergeant Reynolds Community College.   She loves English and hopes to transfer to George Mason to pursue a degree in English so she can become a professional copywriter or proofreader.  She would love to be the first in her family to obtain a Masters and really just wants to be a good role model for her siblings and cousins.   Zorah’s manager at Publix describes her as a self-starter and someone who responds positively to all coaching.   She has become one their strongest associates.   Her manager also said about Zorah “She comes in each day, no matter what is going on outside of work, with a plan to have a successful day.”