DURHAM – Trei Oliver remembers the fun times as a North Carolina Central student-athlete. He met his best friends in college. And his future sweetheart.

But there also are pitfalls for student-athletes living away from home – many for the first time. That’s where basic principles and core values come in, he said.

“Surround yourselves with positive people, those who have your back,” Oliver, NCCU’s head football coach, said at the Durham Sports Club on Wednesday. “…The older you get in life, the bigger the stakes are. Be careful on the decisions you make and the people you hang around.”

Durham’s finest scholar-athletes from all eight public schools were honored at the club’s annual awards luncheon.

The top female and male scholar-athletes from each school are nominated by their athletic director. Their accomplishments are showcased, and all 16 are put in the running for four top college scholarships.

Jordan scholar Jacqueline Thornburg and Riverside scholar Alexander Gray were each awarded a $7,500 Blunt-Bradshaw Sports Legends of Durham Scholarship.

These scholarships honor Hillside High legends Russell E. Blunt and Willie Bradshaw. Both men are in the National High School Athletics Hall of Fame, the N.C. Sports Hall of Fame and the N.C. High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame.

Voyager Academy scholar Eliana Mah received the Mildred Barnes $10,000 Scholarship that goes to the top female athlete. And Durham Academy scholar Tate Duensing received the Harold Strawbridge $10,000 Scholarship for the top male athlete.

The remaining 12 scholar-athletes received a $3,000 scholarship check.

SCHOLAR-ATHLETES

Durham Academy

Anna Morris – St. Andrews University (Scotland)

Tate Duensing – Johns Hopkins

Durham School of the Arts

Giselle Cowden – Duke

Lucas Bartosik – Davidson

Hillside High School

Jailah Farrior – UNC Greensboro

Erick Bonner – Davidson

Jordan High School

Jacqueline Thornburg – Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Caden Rice – Hampton

Northern High School

Kayden Sims – N.C. Central

Jack Leitzel – UNC Wilmington

Riverside High School

Aubrey Mitchell – Emory

Alexander Gray – Northeastern

Southern School of Energy and Sustainability

Samone Arrington – Appalachian State

JaKari Glaspie – Unknown

Voyager Academy

Eliana Mah – Liberty

Carlos Green – UNC Charlotte

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