Attorney Michael A. DeMayo Gives a Shout-out to Local High School Scholarship Winners
For many of us, we will never give away $37,500 in our lifetimes, much less in one year. Charlotte attorney Michael A. Demayo is ever so grateful that his law firm is in a position to do so, not just this year but for the past eight as well. This is the ninth year of the Michael A. DeMayo Scholarship Program, which awards $2,500 scholarships to 15 graduating North and South Carolina high school seniors.
As founder and head of a large personal injury law firm with four regional Carolina offices, Michael A. DeMayo is in a unique position to understand the effects of underage drinking and driving in the larger picture, the effects on society – but also in painful detail through the stories of his devastated clients.
Although drunk driving has tragic consequences at any age, it is particularly sad when it cuts short a life that should be just beginning and even more devastating when the perpetrator is also underage. With the same drive that has made his firm one of the largest in the state, Michael DeMayo has put his energy into finding ways to solve this insidious and life shattering problem.
Focusing his efforts on young adults just beginning their driving years, DeMayo launched both the Arrive Alive! Don’t Drink and Drive program, and with it, the Scholarship program.
This year, fifteen worthy high school seniors from North and South Carolina have just been awarded the $2,500 scholarships to put toward their college educations. The seniors were judged with various different criteria, including their own community service efforts, their grades, and their submission of either a video, powerpoint or online presentation, or an essay. The topic – the prevention of underage drinking and driving, of course.
Winners are chosen each year by a committee. Says DeMayo, “We received the highest number of applications ever this year. The overall quality of the presentations was really high, which made it difficult to pick the winners. But if the scholarships help to save only one life, the investment is well worth it.”
If you’d like to see the winning presentations, they are available on our website here.
Michael A. DeMayo sends his congratulations and appreciation out to these fifteen winners, with heartfelt thanks for their initiative, attitude, and maturity. We firmly believe that these seniors, just graduating high school and about to go off to college, are one of our nation’s greatest assets.
Winners of the 2012 Michael A. DeMayo Scholarship Program:
- Dakota Palacio of Al Brown High School
- Bria Soto of Marvin Ridge High School
- Matthew Sciascia of Hickory Ridge High School
- Taylor Thompson of Mooresville Senior High School
- Emilia San Miguel of Robert Logan Patton High School
- Kirsten Consing of Fred T Foard High School
- Brianna Gallegher of East Lincoln High School
- Cassidy Plyler of Metrolina Christian Academy
- Austin Rhyne of North Iredell High School
- Megan Gurjar of Lake Norman High School
- Amare Seltun of South Point High School
- Graham Collins of Covenant Day School
- Meredith Avant of Independence High School
- Tanner Halgren of Cato Middle College High School
- Meredith Morrow of Ardrey Kell High School
Congratulations on a job well done!
