Introducing: 2025 NAACP/MLP Scholarship Awardees
We are proud to announce that MLP in partnership with Shelby County NAACP has awarded checks ranging from $2500-$500 to winners of our annual scholarship program. The competition holds up graduating seniors in Shelby County public schools who have shown a commitment to advancing racial justice and the potential to be outstanding community leaders. Learn in their own words the goals and aspirations that guide these winning students.
2025 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
Sydney Williams
Calera HS, 1st place
Kayla Banks
Calera HS, Honorable Mention
Sydney Williams plans to serve in the House of Representatives and in the Senate. "I am aware that this career path will have its challenges because I am a woman and more specifically an African-American woman. However, I have the faith, courage, and strong work ethic to achieve this goal to fulfill the recurring dream for not just people who look like me but all people of color to know that they are seen, valued, and represented in all aspects of our country, especially leadership roles."
Kayla Banks plans to attend the University of Montevallo in the fall. She is inspired by the words of Martin Luther King Jr., who said that darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can. For her this means "showing up for people who are looked down upon" and helping other to "succeed in whatever we are led to do."
Yan Zou
Montevallo HS, 2nd place
Yan Zou aspires to become a financial advisor for small minority-owned businesses. As the daughter of an immigrant restaurant owner, she witnessed the impact of racial stereotypes on a family-owned minority business, especially during Covid. She wants to offer "tailored financial guidance to these businesses . . . to aid in navigating their financial difficulties, ensuring that these businesses (and the families that they support) are able to thrive financially without worrying about the added burden of racial prejudice."
Trinity Williams
Thompson HS, 3rd place
Trinity Williams, the first in her family to attend college, is "already breaking barriers and setting an example for my sisters to follow." Her goal -- to become a cardiovascular ultrasound tech and to be a role model for her siblings -- "reflects the essence of the NAACP mission by advancing health equity, serving as a community leader, empowering others, and striving for racial justice in healthcare."
McKenzie Ingram
Helena HS, Honerable Mention
McKenzie Ingram wants to become a recognized expert in the field of radiology, eventually owning and operating her own practice. She is driven by a passion for healthcare and technology and by a desire to contribute to the broader mission of equity and inclusion. “Owning my own practice will provide me with the opportunity to create an environment where people of all backgrounds, particularly African Americans and people of color, have access to high-quality, compassionate care.”