Scholar Athlete Program
Juggling academics and competitive sports in high school is no easy task, which is why we created the Meldon Law / WCJB – TV20 Scholar-Athlete Program to recognize students who accomplish such a feat. Established in 1997, the program has awarded over 600 scholarships to high school seniors across North Florida. Nominated by members of their community, these students demonstrate academic rigor and athletic excellence. All nominees must have a minimum GPA of 3.0, but most recipients have proven to be in higher academic standing.
The program has grown substantially since its inception 25 years ago. What started as a segment on the Larry Vettel radio show announcing two scholars per month has transitioned to a weekly production on WCJB – TV 20. Every Wednesday during the school year, a Meldon Law Scholar-Athlete is featured on the 6 o’clock and 11 o’clock news.
We can attest to the unwavering support system that exists behind every student athlete’s success, which is why we invite each student’s family, along with the coaches, to our annual Meldon Law/TV 20 Scholarship Awards Banquet. There, the weekly student winners from throughout the year are recognized, and two Scholar-Athletes of the Year are selected from among the group. Consisting of one boy and one girl, they receive an additional 1,000 dollar scholarship.
We are proud to report that the students in the Meldon Law Scholar-Athlete Program continue to grow into impressive alumni. Our scholars go on to play collegiate sports, as well as work in the communities they grew up in. In 2015, former Meldon Law Scholar Athlete of the year Cornelius Ingram spoke at the banquet. He shared the importance of preparing for the future with this year’s scholarship recipients. Ingram is now the head football coach at Hawthorne High School.
We continue to look for students who embody both academic and athletic excellence and would like to say “thank you” to everyone who has helped our law firm grow and give back to the community.
Nominating a Scholar-Athlete
To nominate someone for Scholar-Athlete of the week, make sure he or she has at least a 3.0-grade average, is a major contributor in his or her sport, and a high school senior. We’ll need the name of the Scholar-Athlete, his or her school, and as much contact information as you can give us on him or her and the coach.
Send your information to Jake Rongholt at [email protected] or Taylor Burr at [email protected]
The more information you give about the Scholar-Athlete the better!
Meldon Law has sponsored the Scholar-Athlete Program since 1997. Every week of the school year, a high school senior in the North Central Florida area is chosen as the Scholar-Athlete of the Week and given a $100 scholarship and a plaque. At the end of the school year, we hold a banquet for all the winners and their families. Last year nearly 200 people attended the Scholar-Athlete Banquet, where one male and one female is chosen as The Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The winners receive a $1,000 scholarship plus a beautiful glass trophy commemorating their achievement. Starting in 2003 Meldon Law teamed up with WCJB TV20 to promote the event widely on TV 20.
