JANS – The Michael D. Johnson Foundation has named the 2023 winners of its annual scholarship for high school senior athletes. Jessie Williams of Jim Hill High School is the grand award recipient which includes a $1,500 scholarship toward his college educational expenses. Three students from Murrah were runners-up, and each received a $250 book scholarship – Broderick Gholar, 1st runner-up; Jaidyn Hill, 2nd runner-up; and De’Jayvion Brown, 3rd runner-up.
The Foundation has opened its application period for the 2024 MDJ Scholarship (https://michaeldjohnsonfoundation.org/mdj-scholarship/) and will be accepting applications through April 1, 2024. School athletic directors, head coaches, teachers, or counselors must submit applications to the Foundation by the deadline. Scholarship winners will be announced at the annual Michael D. Johnson Memorial Foundation Walk, tentatively scheduled for the first Saturday in May.
The MDJ Memorial Foundation Athletic Scholarship is awarded on a competitive basis to graduating senior athletes from JPS high schools. Candidates must have a 2.5 or higher GPA, demonstrate community involvement, and complete an essay as part of the application process. The Foundation established this program, specifically for athletes, in memory of Michael D. Johnson. Johnson was a Murrah basketball and baseball player whose promising future was tragically cut short by a drunk driver soon after his high school graduation in 2005.
