GREENSBORO SPORTS COUNCIL AWARDS BILL LEE SCHOLARSHIPS TO FOUR GREENSBORO STUDENTS
GREENSBORO, N.C. – With just two weeks remaining until the 45th HAECOisHiring.com Invitational tips off, four Greensboro high school seniors received the Bill Lee Scholarship, the Greensboro Sports Council announced today. The Council began awarding these $2,000 scholarships during its annual high school basketball tournament in 2001. The 45th HAECOisHiring.com Invitational is set for Dec. 27-29, 2021 at the Greensboro Coliseum Special Events Center.
The Bill Lee Scholarship is awarded to four tournament participants each year. All eight participating schools are invited to nominate student athletes; winners are the most-qualified applicants regardless of which school they represent. Including the 2021 winners, who are listed alphabetically below, 85 student athletes have won the Bill Lee Scholarship since the program’s inception. The following students received their scholarships during today’s annual HAECOisHiring.com Invitational pairings announcement and will be recognized during the HAECO Invitational championship games on Wednesday, Dec. 29:
Christian Atwater carries a 4.26 weighted grade point average at Ragsdale High School. She is an honor roll student, a member of the National Honor Society and the student council. She participated in the Guilford County Schools Academic All-Star Camp, was nominated for the Governor’s School of North Carolina and was a Duke TIP participant. Atwater was named a basketball team starter during her junior season and scored in double digits in 75 percent of her games. She volunteers with Leadership LINKS, Egbe-Edo of the Triad, NHS Highway Cleanup, Student Council Fundraisers and the Ragsdale Youth Basketball Camp. She plans to attend college at Elon University or the University of South Carolina and is considering a career in either sport management or education but remains undecided.
Anna Schmedes carries a 4.65 weighted grade point average at Page High School where she is an all-conference athlete in basketball, soccer and tennis. She was named Co-MVP of the basketball team following her junior season. A member of the National Honor Society, she is in the Future Business Leaders of America club. She volunteers at St. Pius X, Out of the Garden Project, Backpack Beginnings and NC Fusion Soccer. She plans to attend Virginia Tech University, the University of North Carolina or Clemson University but is uncertain of her career direction.
Also representing Page High School is Josh Scovens who carries a 4.0 grade point average; he was an all-conference player last season and was named the Pirates’ MVP and best defensive player. Scovens is a valedictorian, a member of the National Honor Society, a junior marshal and has 18 college credit hours from courses taken at NC A&T State University. He is a member of the student council and the art club and volunteers at GMBC Church, Lott Carey Missions, Triad Basketball Academy and Bluford Elementary School. He plans to attend UNC-Greensboro, Lincoln Memorial or the United States Army Academy at West Point and is considering a career in medicine.
Drew Watkins represents Northwest Guilford High School and carries a 4.4 weighted grade point average. He is a two-year starter on the basketball team and earned all-conference honors last year. He volunteers with Gillespie Park Pals and Caroline’s Promise, and he traveled to Guatemala on a mission trip. He hopes to attend Clemson University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill or NC State University and is considering a career in business although he remains undecided.
Bill Lee was a Greensboro native and resident who was a major supporter of local sports. The Bill Lee Memorial Scholarship was established by the Greensboro Sports Council following Lee’s death in 2001. Recipients are nominated by the schools participating in the HAECOisHiring.com Invitational each year, and the Greensboro Sports Council awards the scholarships. Each nomination is considered with the following criteria: 40% academic, 40% athletic and 20% civic.
The HAECOisHiring.com Invitational is an annual high school basketball tournament in Greensboro, N.C. Founded in 1976 as the Little 4 Invitational, the tournament features men’s and women’s teams representing eight Guilford County high schools playing at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex. Tournament proceeds are donated to local charities and the participating schools; the HAECOisHiring.com Invitational is planned and implemented by the Greensboro Sports Council. For more information, please visit www.HAECOInvitational.com and follow the event on Twitter and Instagram: @HAECOinvit.
Courtesy of Rob Goodman, 3-G Sports, LLC