The Roanoke Chapter of The Girl Friends, Inc. is proud to announce that Miles Wilson, the chapter’s nominee for the 2023 National Girl Friends Fund Scholarship, has been selected as one of fewer than 20 recipients of the national award. The Girl Friends Fund provides awards of $1,500 annually for up to four academic years to qualified high school seniors who have been accepted to four-year colleges and universities.
Miles is a 2023 graduate of William Fleming High School in Roanoke, where he served as president of the Student Council Association; president of the Technology Student Association; captain of the varsity basketball team; student representative to the Roanoke City Student Committee and the Roanoke City Schools Career and Technical Ed Committee; and vice president of the Renaissance Committee. In the Roanoke Valley community, Miles is an advisor to a program that introduces engineering to middle school students and is co-founder of STRIDE, a group of young adults who conduct community service activities. He is the owner of Game Time Clothing, where he designs and manufactures clothing for online purchases and in-person transactions.
Miles, who has received numerous honors for his achievements, will attend the University of Virginia, where he plans to major in mechanical engineering and a minor in entrepreneurship. He is the son of Richard and Tracey Wilson.
Recipients of the Girl Friends Fund Scholarship are top high school seniors nominated by Girl Friends chapters across the country. Miles is the 13th Girl Friends Fund Scholarship recipient nominated by the Roanoke Chapter. Each year, the chapter seeks as applicants, for qualified high school seniors from the Roanoke and New River valleys, and the Lynchburg area.
For 35 years, The Girl Friends Fund, Inc. has fulfilled a philanthropic role in the form of service and financial support to Black American students across the country. The Roanoke Chapter has been recognized consistently as one of the top contributing chapters to The Girl Friends Fund.
This year the Roanoke Chapter Girl Friends Scholarship, of $1,000, was awarded to Harper Gunn, a 2023 graduate of William Fleming High School whose activities at Fleming included drum major for William Fleming Marching Band, vice president of Future Business Leaders of America at Fleming, and class representative for the Student Council Association. She was also active in the “Teachers for Tomorrow” program and was a member of the varsity softball team.
In the Roanoke Valley community, Harper prepared snacks for homeless students, made masks during the pandemic, and worked as a teacher cadet with elementary school students. She also won state and national awards for her FBLA activities, and with Educators Rising conferences and competitions and plans to attend Old Dominion University and major in secondary education with a focus on English and her long-term goal to become an influential and passionate educator and is the daughter of Ms. Heather Gunn.
The Roanoke Chapter’s GF Memorial Scholarship, in the amount of $750, was awarded to Amira Alderman, a 2023 graduate of Patrick Henry High School where Amira was head designer of the school yearbook; a member of the Student Council Association; a founding member and president of Fashion Forward; a forensic team member; and member of the Pride Club.
In the Roanoke Valley community, Amira has volunteered with Total Action for Progress; Hurt Park Elementary School through Virginia Teach for Tomorrow; the Rescue Mission of Roanoke, and the Franklin County Animal Shelter. In 2022, Amira was elected as Patrick Henry’s representative to Virginia Girls State and spent time at a summer enrichment program at Roanoke College. She plans to attend Pennsylvania State University and pursue a Bachelor of Science in psychology with her career goal to become a forensic psychologist. She is the daughter of Ms. Regina Alderman.
Jennifer Alston is president of the Roanoke Chapter of The Girl Friends, Inc.; Beth Sinkler, is vice president and Thelma Haynesworth is chair of the chapter’s Scholarship Committee.
