Chloe Chow

Team Fellowship Award Winner

I am beyond honored to be able to receive the Team Fellowship Award from Charity for Champions. This not only recognizes what I accomplished as an athlete, but as a student as well, being there for everyone and showing a positive mindset towards everything. My future plans include attending the University of Florida to study business & marketing. This scholarship provides me one step closer to achieving my future endeavors and for that I am thankful for Dr. Al DeSimone and the Charity for Champions team! Once again, I am truly appreciative to receive this scholarship and the prestigious recognition that comes along with it.

Julie Nunez

Medical Interest Award Winner

I am incredibly honored and grateful to receive this Award. This recognition means so much to me because it represents my hard work these past few years and my passion for helping others through the medical field. As I begin studying Biology at FIU, this scholarship encourages me to continue pursuing my goals with confidence, hopefully leading me into scientific research focused on developing treatments. It reminds me that compassion, leadership, and ambition can truly make a difference. Thank you to Charity for Champions for believing in students like me and supporting our passions.

Valentina Suarez

Artistic Achievement Award Winner

Accepting this award is an honor that goes not only to myself, but more importantly the wonderful community that music and the arts have created in my life. To me, this award is a culmination of the strength and never-ending inspiration my peers and family have given me along the way. As I study graphic design at the University of Florida and participate in the UF Symphony Orchestra, I hope to give back to those communities through performance and visual arts, just as they have done for me. Thank you to Al DeSimone’s Charity for Champions for allowing me to convey my gratitude.

Aarav Bansal

Team Fellowship Award Winner

Receiving the Team Fellowship Award is especially meaningful to me because it reflects values that have shaped my high school experience: teamwork, companionship, leadership, and working toward a common goal. Through varsity tennis, community service organizations, and leadership positions at school, I have learned how important it is to support and uplift those around you while striving together toward success. This fall, I will be attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where I plan to study Business Administration and Statistics while pursuing a future career in finance. I truly appreciate Charity for Champions and Dr. DeSimone for supporting student-athletes and recognizing qualities that extend beyond academics and athletics alone. This scholarship is not only generous financial support, but also encouragement to continue leading, giving back, and representing the values this award stands for.

Holden Harkins

Leadership Award and Raider Personal Achievement Award Winner

I am so honored to have received this scholarship which will help pay for my living and/or food expenses at Florida International University, as a freshman this summer. It makes me feel so proud and motivated to have been recognized for my hard work and dedication. I look forward to using this same work ethic in college to attain a full scholarship, as I am currently a Preferred Walk-On as a Long Snapper. My major is Disaster Management.

Pragnaya Gopisetti

Artistic Achievement Award Winner

Receiving the Artistic Achievement Award from Charity for Champions is truly an honor and something I am incredibly grateful for. This scholarship means a lot to me as it represents not only the hard work and dedication I have put into my academics and extracurricular activities throughout high school, but also the support I have received from family and peers along the way to pursue my dreams. Being recognized for my achievements motivates me to continue striving for excellence along my journey. In the fall, I plan to attend the University of Florida to study Biomedical Engineering before continuing to medical school to become a surgeon. I hope to combine my passion for science, innovation, and helping others to make a positive impact in healthcare and improve the community around me through medicine. I also intend to join the I am sincerely grateful to Charity for Champions for supporting students like me and investing in our futures.

Isaiah Calixte

Raider – Personal Achievement Award Winner

I would like to sincerely thank you for selecting me, Isaiah Calixte as a recipient of the Personal Achievement Award from Al DeSimone’s Charity for Champions. This scholarship means a great deal to me. Financially, it eases a significant burden on my parents, as we are a family of six and every contribution truly makes a difference. My future goal is to become a sports medicine physician, allowing me to stay connected to what I am passionate about while also giving back to my community in the same way others have poured into me. I believe that when you pursue something you love, it never feels like work, which makes me even more excited for what lies ahead. Thank you again to Al DeSimone’s Charity for Champions for supporting students like me and making a meaningful impact on my journey.

Karolos Liveris

Academic Achievement Award Winner

I am very grateful for receiving the Academic Achievement Award from the Charity for Champions. This scholarship will support my Aerospace Engineering studies at the University of Florida and will allow me to take fuller advantage of the college experience through academics, sports, research, and club activities by worrying less about the financials. I plan to specialize in propulsion with the goal of making air and space travel more efficient and accessible. I hope the technological advancements in my field will result not only in engineering-related breakthroughs but also in everyday improvements for the general public and the environment. This is one of the ways I plan to pay it forward for the recognition and support from Al De Simone’s Charity for Champions.

Jordyn Munger

Al DeSimone Ultimate Champion Award Winner

My plans for the future are to attend Seminole State College to continue my softball career while majoring in Special Education with a minor in Sports Broadcasting. This scholarship is an investment to my future. It helps me open new opportunities, open doors, and have lifelong connections. This also helps me make a positive impact on others the same way many people have impacted me.

Meryn McLennan

Medical Interest Award Winner

I’d like to begin by expressing how extremely grateful I am to have been awarded the Medical Interest Award by Dr. Al DeSimone’s Charity for Champions Foundation. Being selected for this scholarship is truly a meaningful recognition of my dedication and hard work in pursuing my goals in the medical field. My future plans include earning my bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience with a minor in French at the University of Pittsburgh, followed by attending medical school. I am incredibly thankful to Dr. Al DeSimone and the Charity for Champions Foundation for their generosity and support. This scholarship allows me to focus on becoming the best version of myself as both a student and an. athlete. Beyond the financial support, this award represents a vote of confidence in my potential, and I am determined to make the most of this opportunity. Thank you for believing in me and supporting my future aspirations.