Lake Oconee Youth Alliance (LOYA) is proud to announce its 10 recipients of LOYA scholarships for 2023, including seven local 2023 high school graduates and three local 2022 high school graduates who are now rising college sophomores.
Lake Oconee Youth Alliance is dedicated to the empowerment of youth through mentoring and scholarship programs for post-secondary education. Since 2018, LOYA has provided four-year recurring scholarships to 52 area students, HOPE and PELL eligible, attending in-state colleges and universities.
Another 60 students have been served through the LOYA College Assistance program with books, laptop computers, dorm linens, transportation to school, and other needed items identified and approved by the scholarship committee.
The third part of the LOYA college program is the mentor program.
All students are paired with an adult mentor who assists them with navigating a pathway through their collegiate journeys.
In 2023, LOYA added alumni mentors working with adult mentors to provide additional support for our first-family collegiate students.
LOYA students excel in college, with LOYA scholars having a 94% college retention rate and an 85% scholarship retention rate. LOYA scholars average 3.5 years to graduation and historically maintain a 3.5 GPA cumulative average. Upon graduation, LOYA scholar graduates have an average $69,000 annual starting salary.
Putnam County High School
• Arella Cash
• Braxton Haralson
• Jaida Jackson
• Emily Pressley
• Courtney Davis
Greene County High School
• Cameron Carmichael
• Melani Sotelo-Leon
Lake Oconee Academy
• Jarvis Merritt
• Arie’Una Long
• Alyssa Reeves
Honor Graduate GCHS; Captain soccer team; Group Commander ROTC; Best Flight Cadre Summer ROTC UNGa; Public Speaker Thillen Foundation; Class representative on Student Council; Plans UNGa Cadet Corp.; major International Affairs
Honor Graduate GCHS; UGA Leadership Program; UGA Certificate of Merit; Beta Club; Captain track team; Heisman High School Scholar Greene County System; Plans Morehouse College; major Pre-dental
Honor Graduate PCHS; Co-captain golf team; Assoc. Degree General; Studies CGTC May 2023; Junior Board of Directors Georgia Writers Museum; Beta Club; Photographer PCHS Athletics, Drama, Yearbook; Master Community Organizer throughout high school; Plans UNGa; major English; Ph.D. English
Honor Graduate LOA; UGA Leadership; Georgia Certificate of Merit; Member football and wrestling teams; Photographer for Greene County Senior Citizens; Plans KSU; Major Computer Science; Rising Sophomores
Honor Graduate PCHS; President Beta Club; Eatonton City Youth Council; Farmers and Merchants Bank Junior Board of Directors; President of Key Club; President of Anchor Club; President of National Honor Society; Golf team captain; Plans Augusta State University; major Chemistry; PharmD
Honor Grad PCHS 2022; Georgia Certificate of Merit; Presidents List UGA Freshman Year GPA 4.0; Dawgs Day of Service; Volunteer Peaceful Purpose Hospice; Attends UGA; major Psychology PreMed
Honor Graduate PCHS; Army ROTC Cadet Major; JROTC Raiders; Member Saber Team; Member Colorguard Graduation; Organized parking attendants for PCHS events; Plans Ga. Southern University; major Engineering
Honor Graduate LOA 2022; Georgia Youth Leadership Award; Jazz band; Pep band; Tri-M Music Honor Society; National Honor Society; Attends Ga. State University; major Music Production
Honor Grad PCHS 2022; Presidents List Ga Southern University Freshman Year GPA 4.0; Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority 2023; Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society 2023; Women in Business Club 2023; Attends Ga. Southern University; major Exercise Science; doctorate Physical Therapy
Valedictorian PCHS 2023; Co-captain golf team; Beta Club Administrative Assistant; National Honor Society; Director Book Drive Live and Drive Event; Putnam County STAR Student; Event Director Georgia Writers Museum; Plans UGA; major Biology