The following members of the Class of 2021, as determined by the principals of their respective high schools, have each received a $1,500 Walter Gannon Diocesan Scholarship. The criteria are that students must be deserving of the award because of their high level of scholarship, concern for others and economic need. The scholarships are made possible due to a gift to the diocese from Walter Gannon.
Benedictine College Preparatory
Azaan Johnson. Azaan Johnson is graduating with a cumulative GPA of 2.89. Azaan holds the rank of 1st Lieutenant and Officer in the Benedictine Corps of Cadets as the assistant security officer. Azaan has participated in cross country as a cadet and has worked at Smokey BBQ during the summers. Azaan plans to attend J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College starting in fall and pursue general studies.
Blessed Sacrament-Huguenot
Shaw Forward. Shaw Forward is an outstanding young woman. A leader among her peers, she contributes to our school community with her kind and generous spirit. She is active in a broad spectrum of school activities from varsity sports to student government to the honor society and arts. She is a leader in and out of the classroom by serving as class president for four years, and as a captain for the cheerleading and tennis teams. Shaw has balanced her high school academics with working part-time and engaging in service to the community. She is truly a role model for all students and will no doubt contribute to making the world a better place.
Catholic High School
Austin Miranda. Austin Miranda is dedicated, self-motivated, intellectually gifted and a leader, but it is his compassion for others that sets him apart. Helping others is second nature to Austin and is one reason that he was chosen as the Knights of Columbus Young Man of the Year. Austin was elected class president as a senior, is a member of six school honor societies, was MVP of the swim team, and was a finalist for the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame High School Athlete of the Year. The son of a pilot, Austin received the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering annual scholarship to Auburn University where he plans to study aerospace engineering in the fall.
Peninsula Catholic High School
Jailyn Jones. Jailyn Jones currently serves as vice president of the senior class. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society and the Council for Academic Integrity. She helped younger students transition to high school as a peer mentor and guided them on their spiritual journey as a member of the retreat team. She played on the varsity girls soccer team and competed in track and field. Jailyn leaves PCHS with a GPA of 4.46 and will be attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the fall.
Roanoke Catholic School
Christopher Moak. Christopher Moak has challenged himself academically to successfully complete the more rigorous course options. When given the opportunity to take a general education course or an Advanced Placement (AP) course, Christopher has been eager to rise to the challenge of the AP course. To enhance his understanding of the course material, he will tutor fellow classmates on a regular basis. Christopher has been an inspiration to his peers when it comes to his work ethic. He can be found in the cafeteria, library and classrooms working and studying material that has been discussed in the classroom. He is an extremely hard worker and has influenced others to follow in his footsteps. Christopher has also been a leader among his peers with his community involvement. Acting as an altar server at our school-wide Mass, Christopher has become recognizable for his commitment to his faith, Church, school and others. He is always willing and able to lend a helping hand with a smile on his face. He takes the needs of others into consideration even before his own.
St. Gertrude High School
Brynn Vea. Brynn Vea has proven herself to be a very focused and determined scholar and athlete. She exudes cheerfulness and positivity in the classroom and on the cross country course. Brynn is also well-known for being generous in her appreciation of educational opportunities, faculty and staff. She has been a true example of the Benedictine values of community and hospitality from the moment she stepped onto the St. Gertrude campus. Brynn will attend the University of Virginia in the fall.
Walsingham Academy School
Andre Morgan. Andre Morgan is an outstanding scholar with a servant’s heart. One of the challenges we have faced this year is not being able to have our regular lunches in the school cafeteria due to the need for social distancing. Students seemed to miss “normal” lunches more than anything else. Andre led a group of students this year to continually stock and promote a rolling snack cart with all the proceeds being donated to charity. Andre brought so much joy to our teachers and students during lunches just by showing up every day with a smile and plenty of available snacks. This is just one of many ways that Andre has made the days at Walsingham full of joy. He is an honors student and dedicated athletic teammate. We all know that we can count on Andre to do the right thing even if he is doing it alone.