18 Tri-State Students Win $42K in Munoz Scholarships

Eighteen high school seniors across the Cincinnati tri-state area just received life-changing news: they're splitting $42,000 in college scholarships from the Anthony Muñoz Foundation. These students didn't just ace their classes—they overcame real adversity while serving their communities and excelling in athletics.

The Straight 'A' Scholarship program, funded by Mike's Carwash, recognizes students who demonstrate the six A's: Academic excellence, Athletic achievement, Active community service, strong Ambition, winning Attitude, and ability to overcome Adversity. This year's recipients came from 453 nominations across 142 local high schools.

Pro Football Hall of Famer Anthony Muñoz knows what it's like to need a hand up. "Being raised by a single mom, we didn't have a whole lot, but we worked hard and were lucky enough to have people in our community who believed in us," he said.

Among the winners are Josiah Hurdle from Pendleton County High School and Kingston Dailey from Covington Catholic High School, representing Northern Kentucky. The full roster includes students from schools like Oyler, Finneytown, Turpin, and Seton, spanning urban and rural communities across Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana.

Mike's Carwash made this possible through their Kids Win Wednesday promotion, where customers helped raise funds. "We're grateful to our customers for supporting the Anthony Muñoz Foundation," said Joe Dahm, president of Mike's Carwash. Together, they've raised more than $587,000 through the partnership.

The Ripple Effect

The impact goes far beyond check writing. Since the scholarship launched in 2003, nominations have skyrocketed by 576 percent—from just 67 students in the first year to 453 this year. That means more schools, counselors, and communities are spotting talented kids who might otherwise go unnoticed.

The Foundation has now awarded $774,000 to 432 students over the program's lifetime. Each recipient also gets to honor their Most Influential Teacher at the annual Straight 'A' Luncheon on April 30th, hosted by Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse.

Two students will receive additional recognition as Overall Male and Female Straight 'A' Students of the Year. As the Muñoz Foundation celebrates its 25th anniversary, they're proving that investing in young people who refuse to let circumstances define them creates winners for entire communities.