4 South Lake Seniors Win $10K Scholarships

Four South Lake County seniors just learned their college dreams are getting a major financial boost. Project Scholars announced that Shireen Noelma, Abbigail Hightower, Adelaide Owusu, and Isabella Nunez will each receive $10,000 over four years to fund their undergraduate education.

The scholarships come from Project Scholars, a program powered by proceeds from the annual Pig on the Pond event in Clermont, Florida. Each recipient was chosen for demonstrating financial need, academic excellence, and deep commitment to serving their communities.

"These four young women embody everything the Project Scholars program was created to celebrate: heart, hustle, and an unwavering commitment to their communities," said Nancy Srodes, Scholarship Committee Chair. The winners represent schools across South Lake and are already making impressive impacts in their neighborhoods.

Shireen Noelma graduates as her class valedictorian from Hope Preparatory Academy with 171 community service hours, including tutoring elementary students and volunteering with food distribution programs. She plans to become a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer.

Abbigail Hightower overcame significant hardship to earn a 4.6 weighted GPA while volunteering for four years with New Beginnings, a nonprofit serving people experiencing homelessness. This first-generation college student even became an AVID Summer Institute Leader, training educators across Central Florida.

Adelaide Owusu ranks 35th in her class with a perfect 5.0 weighted GPA and leads the Fallen Hawks Memorial Committee, maintaining a campus tribute to students who have passed away. Shaped by childhood years in the Democratic Republic of Congo, she dreams of founding a nonprofit supporting women and children in conflict zones.

Isabella Nunez started working at age 13 to help support her family while logging 269 community service hours and co-captaining the varsity cheer team. She plans to become a board-certified behavior analyst supporting parents of children with special needs.

The Ripple Effect

These scholarships do more than fund education. They send a powerful message to an entire community that investing in young people who give back creates a cycle of hope and service that spreads far beyond four individual students.

Community partners like Orlando Health South Lake Hospital sponsor additional scholarships, expanding the program's reach each year. Every ticket sold and donation made at Pig on the Pond directly transforms local students' futures.

These four young women are already changing their world, and their education will only amplify their impact.