South Central senior among first-ever WISHING scholarship winners

MISSION, KANSAS (WNCT) — South Central High School’s Jade Brown is one of four teens to receive the first-ever Women in Sports Helping Inspire the Next Generation (WISHING) scholarship.

Kierra Arnold (Fayetteville, N.C.), Jade Brown (Winterville, N.C.), Lily Everette (Asheville, N.C.) and Olivia Filloramo (Fairfield, Conn.) will each receive a $1,000 scholarship from the non-profit.

“Scholarship is one of our three core pieces of programming at WISHING, in addition to mentorship and job shadowing,” said founder and president Kristen Nett. ”To be able to award $4,000 in just our first year of programming is amazing. I’m so grateful to our donors and sponsors for making this a possibility.”

The scholarship application was open to all high school seniors participating in the program and is intended to assist students as they pursue a career in sports at a college or university. Each of the four students selected this year actively participated in the WISHING program during the 2023–24 academic school year. Scholarships were awarded based on academic achievement, leadership and involvement in their community. The students will be able to stay connected and involved in WISHING during their time in college.

In addition to the virtual mentorship program, WISHING will open three in-person mentorship programs in Madison, Wis., Summit, N.J. and Kansas City, Mo. starting in September 2024.

For more information on the scholarship recipients, see below.

Kierra Arnold (Fayetteville, N.C.)

Kierra Arnold is a senior at Jack Britt High School in Fayetteville, N.C. She will attend Queens University of Charlotte to pursue a degree in sports management and has plans to attend law school. She will also participate on the track and field team. Arnold’s scholarship was sponsored by the Military Luggage Company, a business in Fayetteville.

Jade Brown (Winterville, N.C.)

Jade Brown attends South Central High School in Winterville, N.C. and plans to attend North Carolina Central University in Durham, N.C. to pursue a career in kinesiology/sports medicine. She will intern in the Acute Physical Therapy department at ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville, N.C.

Lily Everette (Asheville, N.C.)

Lily Everette will graduate from Carolina Day School in Asheville, N.C. She is attending East Tennessee State University in the fall and will study sports management. In high school, Everette broke barriers becoming the first female to play on her school’s baseball team.

Olivia Filloramo (Fairfield, Conn.)

Olivia Filloramo attends Fairfield Ludlowe High School in Fairfield, Conn., and will study sports business at Fairfield University in the fall. She plans to intern at the Major League Baseball office in New York City this summer, an opportunity she received through participation in WISHING’s program.

WISHING is a 501(c)(3) that strives to level the playing field for all women by providing career exploration opportunities through mentorship, job shadowing, and scholarships.

WISHING has 152 mentors from over 35 different states and 27 high school students in the program. Mentors are employed across the sports industry by colleges and universities and organizations such as Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, the National Hockey League, Special Olympics and the National Collegiate Athletic Association. WISHING has partnered with schools from five states from across the country, customizing the program to each school’s specific needs.

To sign up as a mentor or mentee, visit www.wishingmentors.com . To implement WISHING in an entire district or school, or to learn more about supporting WISHING, email info@wishingmentors.com .

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