NEA Sports Announces Annual Scholarship Winners.

By: Ryan Fletcher

            NEA Sports Media received over 60 applications this year for its two annual scholarships.  A committee through NEA Sports narrowed the list of applications down to 13 finalists.  The 13 finalists were placed into an online voting contest through the company’s website and the NEA Sports Facebook page allowing the fans to cast their vote for who they believed was most deserving of each scholarship.  The list was then cut to eight finalists as they were brought in for interviews as the final step to the process.  Over $3,500 were awarded to five of the finalists.  

The first scholarship known as the Brian Stallings Memorial MVP Scholarship is a yearly scholarship valued at $1000.  The scholarship honors former Riverside Rebel Brian Stallings and the life he lived while battling cystic fibrosis.  The award is given to the most deserving candidate that has persevered through various obstacles in life while being an upstanding citizen along with being an outstanding student athlete on and off the court/field.  The scholarship is open to any type of student athlete that competes in an accredited sport sanctioned by the Arkansas Activities Association.  Previous first place winners of the scholarship include: Caleb Reinhart (Manila, 2015), Brandon Clifford (Paragould, 2016), and Taylor Layne (Bay, 2017).  Runner-up winners include: Synteria Ward (East Poinsett County, 2015) and Travon Cobb (Buffalo Island Central, 2016).  This year’s scholarship was sponsored by Fat City Apparel in Jonesboro, Arkansas.  

The winner of this year’s scholarship was Riverside Lady Rebel Brittney Sain.  Sain impressed the committee while garnering the most votes through the NEA Sports website.  Brittney put together an impressive senior season which capped off an outstanding career.  Sain dealt with struggles off the court as her father passed away during Riverside’s postseason run.  The Lady Rebel managed to push through these extreme circumstances while helping her team to a conference and district championship.  She recently played in the Arkansas Activities Association all-star game.  Sain received first place and a $1000 scholarship.  She becomes the first female to win the scholarship award in its fourth year.  “Brittney was honored to receive the Brian Stallings Memorial Scholarship,” said Riverside Lady Rebel Coach Spencer Hoffman.  “She has accomplished so much on and off the court in high school.  She demonstrated courage and perseverance and truly embodies what the scholarship represents.  I’m excited about what the future holds for her.”

Additionally, Gosnell Lady Pirate Z’kiah Kuykendall finished as the scholarship runner-up.  Kuykendall graduated as class valedictorian while excelling on the court as one of the top basketball players in the Northeast Arkansas area.  Z’kiah receives a scholarship in the amount of $500.   

NEA Sports and the family of Donald Ellison announced its scholarship winners for the second consecutive season.  Ellison was a valued member of the Jonesboro/NEA community.  He owned his own tile business and was a self-made man.  Mr. Ellison was a sports fanatic that loved the Arkansas Razorbacks and followed the various sports teams in the Northeast Arkansas community.  While applicants can be multi-sport athletes, they must participate in high school basketball.  Last year, Gavin Stone of Riverside became the first ever winner of the scholarship.  

The first-place winner for the scholarship was Manila Lion Bradey Woodall.  Woodall’s tremendous play and exceptional attitude/work ethic led to the committee’s decision to name him as this season’s winner.   Ironically, Woodall has been raised by his grandparents just like Donald Ellison.  Woodall receives a $1000 scholarship.  Manila Lion Coach Lee Wimberley had this to say about Bradey winning the scholarship.  “There are certain things we look for in our players; work ethic, mental toughness, team-first attitude, competitiveness, and an ability to overcome adversity.  If you can manage three of those five then you will go far.  Bradey Woodall nails all five.  He is the epitome of Manila Basketball.  You don’t replace kids like him.  You hope that others can emulate him, but no one replaces that type of kid.  It’s been my pleasure to coach him for six years, and I’m so excited to see what his life has in store for him.”  

Additionally, two other recipients finished as scholarship runner-up.  Kayne Wilson of Greene County Tech and Markel Perry-Washington of Marked Tree will receive scholarships valued at $500 apiece.  Wilson impressed the committee with his scholarship application and essay but overwhelmed the committee with an impressive interview along with his desire to further his education in the medical field.  Markel helped lead the Marked Tree Indians to their second consecutive state runner-up.  He too expressed strong aspirations to further his educational career at the next level.  

NEA Sports is proud of this season’s scholarship winners and believes these winners will continue the tradition of excelling in their academic and occupational careers like past winners while honoring the value Brian Stallings and Donald Ellison had on the NEA community.