The Shallow Ford Foundation announced recipients of the Leslie Martin Scholarship award

Published 12:10 am Thursday, July 15, 2021

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The Shallow Ford Foundation announced two recipients of the Leslie Martin Scholarship award, Emani Jones and Maci Szeremeta.

John Stewart, a long-time supporter of higher education and a Rotarian, created the John Stewart Scholarship Fund with the Foundation. The Leslie Martin Scholarship Award honors Martin, an educator at West Forsyth High School, for the impact she has made on hundreds of young adults as they prepare for the next step in their educational journey. The scholarship recognizes two students each year with a financial scholarship to continue their education.

Both students were members of the Finance Academy, a three-year program for college bound students interested in business. The program augments the standard curriculum and allows students to learn about the principals of business, career opportunities, financial planning, and international finance.

Emani Jones

Emani Jones plans to attend the University of North Carolina at Charlotte as an accounting major with a concentration in finance.

While at West Forsyth High School she was involved with varsity track and field and Student Government Association, was both a junior class representative and senior class representative, a member of the Finance Academy, named a Junior Achievement High School Hero, and was a member of Black Achievers. She was also a cast member and choreographer with the Winston-Salem Performing Arts Alliance for six years.

Jones was also on the straight A honor roll and A-B honor roll, a member of the National Honor Society and the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council, awarded employee of the month at Five Below, a BB&T Financial Scholar and she represented West Forsyth’s Finance Academy at a Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce meeting.

She shared the following when notified of her award: “I am extremely grateful to have received The Leslie Martin Scholarship for the financial assistance it has provided, allowing me to continue my education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. As I journey into the next chapter of my life, I will carry with me the principles I have learned through leadership, service and mentorship.”

Maci Szeremeta

Maci Szeremeta will attend North Carolina State University with the goal of becoming a pediatrician, studying biology and a pre-med track.

“I’m so thankful to have received this scholarship. This scholarship is so important to me because I’ve learned in finance academy how to budget my money, so any amount of money will help reduce debt to further my education,” said Szeremeta.

While at West Forsyth High School she was active as a Girl Scout Ambassador and was a member of Health Occupations Students of America, the Finance Academy, and the West Forsyth shooting team. She also attended regular piano practice and competed once a year.

In the community, she served as a volunteer with Merriwood Christian Camp, Catholic Heartwork Camp, and Dayspring Church Greensboro Soup Kitchen. She also worked as a vacation bible school crew leader and was responsible for creating videos explaining different buildings for freshman orientation.

The Shallow Ford Foundation, formerly the Clemmons Community Foundation, facilitates this and other scholarship opportunities for local philanthropists. For more information on the scholarship programs, go to shallowfordfoundation.org.