The Field and Mary Scovell scholarship committee examines everything when determining who will be among the 15 recipients of their annual $3,000 grants.
Gauging Alicia McClung's determination must have been an enormous task.
McClung and her younger sister were often abandoned by their mother as toddlers. If their grandmother hadn't adopted them, there's no telling how things would have worked out.
"Basically, my grandparents saw my sister and I hurting," said McClung, a senior at Seagoville. "They cared enough about us to say, 'You need to come with us.' "
Beverly McClung took the girls in when Alicia was 8. McClung has been a science teacher in the Dallas ISD for 18 years. Alicia fell in love with science and has been doing a science project yearly since the third grade.
This year, she qualified for the state science fair with a project that determined whether fruit flies are predisposed with a certain genetic makeup that affects their ability to travel against gravity.
When McClung was in the sixth grade, she bought a $100 flute at a pawn shop and quickly fell in love with music. Last fall, she was the head drum major at Seagoville.
And before McClung went to high school, a counselor explained how to become a valedictorian. That was all it took. McClung is on track to finish first in her class of 204.
"She is really obsessive," Beverly McClung said. "She sets her mind to something, she just doesn't quit."
COLLEGE RECIPIENTS
Awarded to an exemplary previous Scovell recipient currently enrolled in college:
Mary Dupree Scovell Scholarship
JEFFRI MALONE
School: Howard Payne
Age: 20
Notable: Head cheerleader. ... Currently on track to graduate in 2011 while majoring in Spanish and minoring in Christian studies.
Catfish Montgomery Scholarship
ZACH KRIMM
School: UT-Arlington
Age: 22
Notable: Woodrow Wilson graduate working two jobs and still on track to graduate next year with an exercise and sport science degree.
Ben E. Keith Co. Scholarship
KRYSTAL WOODS
School: Texas A&M
Age: 21
Notable: Active in the Bryan-College Station community. ... Graduated from Garland Naaman Forest. ... Majoring in psychology.
E.E. 'Buddy' Fogelson Scholarship
COLT HOLBERT
School: Mississippi State
Age: 20
Notable: Holds a 3.21 GPA. ... Active volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, the Fisher House, the ALS Foundation and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Hunt Consolidated Inc. Scholarship
JOSEPH RICHARDSON
School: LSU
Age: 19
Notable: Involved on campus as an LSU Ambassador working with prospective students and currently serves on the LSU Leadership Council. ... A Coppell graduate, he is a business management major with a 4.0 GPA.
HIGH SCHOOL RECIPIENTS
The following 10 Field Scovell Scholarships are presented to exemplary high school graduates, including the following three named grants:
AT&T Scholarship
JESIKA JONES
School: Townview Law Magnet
Age: 18
Notable: Second in her class. Active in the National Honor Society and Student Advisory Council. She is president of both organizations. ... First team all-district in volleyball.
Jack B. Prince Scholarship
JAMES OWEN
School: Burleson
Age: 18
Notable: Will graduate among the top 10 percent of his class and was named to the academic All-District 3-5A baseball team. ... President of the men's choir and is on the Mayor's Youth Council.
AT&T Cotton Bowl Scholarship
TRAVIS PLOTKOWSKI
School: Fort Worth Calvary Academy
Age: 18
Notable: Active in National Honor Society, YMCA Youth and Government Program, yearbook staff and theater production. ... First-team all-district in football. ... Plans to enroll in honors program at Howard Payne and will double major in history and multi-disciplinary studies.
ADDITIONAL SCOVELL SCHOLARSHIP HIGH SCHOOL RECIPIENTS
TEMITOPE AJANNAH
School: Cedar Hill
Age: 17
Notable: Graduating in top 10 percent of class, member of National Honor Society and history club and vice president of the choir council. ... Active in church and a member of the power lifting team. ... Will study law at Houston.
JAMES BRILEY
School: Skyline
Age: 18
Notable: Ranks 12th in class of 945 and is parliamentarian of the school senate. Member of science club and president of the Kudos of Phi Delta Kappa. ... A cross country runner, he plans to attend Baylor.
CRISTHIAN ESCOBAR
School: Skyline
Age: 18
Notable: Member of National Honor Society and chess club and president of tennis club. ... Ranks in top 10 percent of graduating class. ... Also received scholarships from Dell and KFC Scholars Program. ... Plans to attend Texas.
DOMINIQUE JAMES
School: Richardson Communications Magnet
Age: 17
Notable: Holds a 3.7 GPA and a member of the Leslie K. Bedford Foundation. ... Captain of varsity cheerleader squad, senior class treasurer and section leader for her youth chorus. ... Plans to attend Texas Tech.
ALICIA MCCLUNG
School: Seagoville
Age: 18
Notable: Ranks first in class of 204. ... Named first-place winner at regional science fair and received Kathryn H. Priddy Young Scientist Award given by the UT Southwestern Medical Center. ... Plans to attend Austin College.
GRAY MOWERY
School: South Garland
Age: 18
Notable: Ranked 10th in class of 469. ... Member of National Honor Society. ... Three- year participant in UIL theater competition and was cast as the Beast in school's production of Beauty and the Beast. ... Plans to attend Tarleton State.
GIAO NGUYEN
School: Richardson Berkner
Age: 18
Notable: Ranks fourth in class of 594. ... Member of Berkner Assoc. of Medical Students, National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta. ... Also a member of the orchestra and participates on the tennis team. ... Plans to attend Texas.
