“This night and scholarship awards ceremony is very satisfying,” Ross, who has been associated with picking the winners for 30 years, noted prior to Thursday’s presentation. “A large number of scholarships center solely around athletics, but the Elks scholarship winners you see here tonight have our highest honor because of what these young women and men have also achieved academically in the classroom, but also because they were involved in various aspects of the community. The winners over the years have gone on to very successful professional careers and being noted for their high character and integrity in the community.”
Anderson was an honor student at Franklin County and is going to JMU in the fall where she plans to major in media arts design.. She was a director in the television production class for high school football and basketball games produced as the Student Playback Game of the Week shown on WWCW-TV. Abby is a Skills USA State President and is the student representative on the Franklin County School Board.
“This is amazing, beyond amazing, “Anderson said of her award. “I am very grateful to the Elks for this scholarship and would like to thank Ken Kilinski, my instructor at Franklin County, for the opportunity he gave me with the Playback Game staff.”
Angel was an Honor Student at Hidden Valley where she was a cheerleader and member of the competitive cheer team for 4 years. Grace was an outstanding competitor for the Roanoke Academy of Gymnastics. Grace will attend Radford University Honors College with designs on being a veterinarian.
Draper has been a captain of both the Northside softball and volleyball teams, earning All-District and All-Region in both sports. Kyleen is a member of the National Honor Society, Key Club and Spanish Club. She serves as an umpire for North Roanoke Recreation and is active in her church youth group. Kyleen plans to attend Roanoke College where she will play volleyball and pursue a major in business.
“I was very surprised,” Draper noted Thursday evening. “I’m very grateful. It means a lot and an honor to be represented in the community in this manner.”
Harmon is an honor student at Patrick Henry where he is a member of the National Art Honor Society, the Grandin Theater Film Lab and Patrick Henry Chamber Choir where he was named All-District. Isaac is going to VCU with plans on majoring in communication arts.
Kirtley has been an honor student at William Byrd and has been on the drumline of the Terriers’ marching band. Her grandparents were involved in numerous Elks projects throughout the years.
Mroz-Roakes attended the Roanoke Valley Governors School and has been a member of the Elks Club swimming team. He plans to attend the University of Rhode Island with plans on majoring in ocean engineering.
Urgo played baseball and basketball for Cave Spring where he was a member of the 2020 VHSL Class 3 Basketball State Championship and captain of the 2021 team. Charlie plans to attend Virginia Western while continuing his entrepreneurial endeavors in a recycling business he owns. His family keeping this a secret may have been an understatement for Urgo on Thursday.
“This is an honor and I was not expecting it,” Urgo admitted. “My family told me to hurry and get cleaned up after practice. We got in the car and I didn’t even know where we were going.”
– Bill Turner