Meet our incredible 2024-25 Scholarship Recipients!

Natayasha Addison is studying at UNC Charlotte for her B.S. in Nursing. She holds an associate degree in nursing from CPCC and works full-time for Novant Health’s outpatient infusion center in Charlotte.  Addison is the single mother of four children, ranging in age from five to 25. She was a teenager when she first became a mom.

Addison’s parents were also teenagers when she was born. She and her siblings were raised by their grandmother, who was her rock, she says. She wants to be that for her children, and for them to know that the possibilities for their lives are endless.

Quanae Adebolu lives with her daughter in east Charlotte.  She is scheduled to graduate in 2025 with an associate degree in nursing from CPCC. Adebolu hopes to build a career in health care to help others live healthy, meaningful lives.

Like many women, Adebolu put her educational goals on hold while she prioritized marriage and helping others. She has been a single mom for three years and links her experiences with personal growth and the opportunity to start a new chapter. She strives to be an example for her daughter by working hard, being brave, and living an authentic life.

Adebolu believes opportunities to learn surround us each day. She wants to instill in her daughter the power of good judgment in hopes she will gain wisdom and pursue a lifetime of learning. 

Rhacinda "Cindy" Barner lives with her two boys in Kings Mountain. She attends Cleveland Community College and will graduate in May 2025 with an associate degree in Nursing. She hopes to continue her education and obtain a B.S. in Nursing and become a nurse anesthetist or a nurse practitioner.

She has always wanted to provide direct patient care and feels that each of her educational experiences has helped prepare her to become a nurse. Barner attended UNC Wilmington after high school but left before completing her degree in psychology. She experienced divorce in 2018 without much warning and it threw her and her family into a situation she did not see coming. Since then, she and her family have rebounded, and she is in a long-term relationship with someone who pushes her to achieve her dreams.

Courtney Brownlee is a first-generation college student attending Belmont Abbey College.  She is studying for her B.S. in Nursing and will graduate in 2025.  Brownlee works full-time at Victorious Home Healthcare and lives with her family in Gastonia. She attended ECPI University after high school and received her LPN, Brownlee wants her three children to go after what they want: “If you want it, aspire to achieve it.”  With this degree she hopes to earn more money to provide further for her family including her extended family. She also hopes to buy a home.

A senior at Belmont Abbey College working toward her B.A. in  Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Psychology, Ashley Davis is a wife and mother of two daughters, ages 8 and 12  and a new infant son born in July. Davis always had a desire for higher education but didn’t know which field to pursue until now.

Her youngest daughter, on the verge of turning 2, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2017.  After countless treatments, her daughter is now cancer-free.

This traumatic experience, along with a fond memory from her teenage years of helping to care for an older relative, ignited Davis’ passion for helping others. She decided to return to school to seek a career where she can assist, encourage, and love people. 

Lindsay Davis lives in Gastonia with her partner and two children. A student at UNC Charlotte, she plans to graduate in May 2026 with a B.S. in Human Resources Management and minor in psychology.

Davis had her first daughter at 17. She worked multiple jobs as a single mom to secure a decent life for her daughter. There were weeks when she had to pick between paying for food or the light bill. Seven years ago, she met her partner and father of her youngest daughter, who also became a father to her older daughter. With the support of her family, Davis knows she is on track. She wants her children to understand that life can be made better with an education and while better late than never, it is easier if you start early.

Olga Elmore started life in an orphanage in Russia.  At age 4, she and her older sister were adopted by a family in the U.S.

Elmore is a senior at Appalachian State University-Hickory campus. She will graduate in May 2025 with a B.S. in Business Management and a minor in human resources. She and her two sons live near Hickory, and she works part-time at Appalachian State as a tutor coordinator for the Student Learning Center.

Elmore has been a restaurant manager over the last ten years, which inspired her choice to study business and HR. In her personal life, she has faced divorce and a custody battle. She wants to teach her boys that no matter the obstacle, there is always a light and a way forward.

April Fowler knew at a young age that she wanted to work as a nurse and started college right out of high school. But the summer after her freshman year, she got pregnant, had her first son, and did not return to college.  Still desiring a healthcare career, she worked as a certified nursing assistant.

She is now enrolled at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, earning an Associate Degree in Nursing with a graduation date of December 2025.  Today, Fowler is the mother of five, ranging in age from one to 19. “My children and my partner encouraged me to go back to school and finish pursuing my nursing degree,” she says, “because they know how much it means to me.”

Tia Gaston says that after high school, she was not sure what she wanted to do with her life and felt she needed to grow up a bit more and find her purpose.  She now attends Cabarrus College of Health Sciences, earning an associate degree in nursing with expected graduation in December 2025.

A single mom to one son, Gaston says she came from a loving family, but her childhood was difficult.  “I'm here to show others that just because life started out one way, that doesn’t mean you can't change things around and accomplish your goals,” she emphasizes. “There is no right or wrong way to get there, just keep working to get there.”  Following graduation, she hopes to continue her education and become a certified registered nurse anesthetist.

Tania Guinyard is a senior at UNC Charlotte and will graduate in December 2024 with a B.S. in Psychology.  Guinyard works full-time as an operations analyst for AvidXchange.  She earned an associate degree following high school but    found out soon after that she was pregnant. She took time off to be a mom.

Guinyard wants to be a model of fulfilling her dreams for her son. Though her parents worked hard when she was growing up, life was a struggle financially.  “I don’t want my life to look like that,” she says. “I hope to show my son that when you set your mind to something you see it through to the end.”

Guinyard’s parents were also teenagers when she was born. She says that family was her rock. She wants to be that for her children, and for them to know that the possibilities for their lives are endless.

Tywanda Heilig attends Catawba College, targeting December 2025 for her graduation with a B.S. in Business Management and a minor in marketing. She works full-time at Novant Health as a Unit Secretary Specialist.  A single mom of two children, she is pursuing her degree now to make life better and easier for her family.

After high school she attended college on a volleyball scholarship but left school to help her mom. She tried night classes but ultimately left college and obtained her cosmetology license.  Heilig has experienced many hardships, including the murder of her brother. She lost her mother to cancer and her grandmother to COVID.  Heilig’s children support her return to school. They are learning, she says, that “a college education is a must in this house.”

Amber House is working towards her B.S. in Computer Science and Engineering with a minor in Cybersecurity from Johnson C. Smith University, with expected graduation in May 2025.

House says her parents never completed college.  The family never owned a home. Her brothers were incarnated while she was in high school.  The visits to court and jail solidified for her that she would do better.

House gave birth to her first child during her freshman year of college. After taking one semester off, she completed an associate degree in business with a minor in entrepreneurship from Goodwin College in Connecticut. Today, House works for TD Bank as a fraud analyst. She wants to stay in the banking industry and use her bachelor’s degree to move into cybersecurity.

Higher education will soon be a family tradition. House’s daughter, Denaijah will graduate from high school in 2026 and hopes to study biochemical engineering in college.

Ulanda Johnson-Bobo is studying for her associate in nursing at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College with expected graduation in December 2025. The mother of four had her first child when she was 17, began working full-time at 18, and married at 21. Six weeks after giving birth to her fourth child, she was seriously injured when her car was hit head on by a sleeping driver. Eight surgeries later, as her baby son learned to walk, Johnson-Bobo learned to walk again.

That experience, combined with seeing the challenges faced by her own mother, who didn't graduate from high school, has motivated Johnson-Bobo to pursue her degree and strive for academic excellence. “I want to show my kids that a college education is possible if you never give up,” she says.  “Life may be difficult at times but it's even more difficult without the proper skills and training that higher education provides.”

Bria Lindsay is a single mother of three and a senior at Johnson C. Smith University. She anticipates graduating in May 2025 with a B.S. in Social Work. She also works full-time at the Department of Social Services.

Lindsay had a hard childhood, growing up with an addicted mother and a mostly absent father. At 13, she says, she lost sight of school. It took having children for her to realize she needed a better education. Lindsay hopes to eventually earn a master’s degree and make a difference by helping young girls understand and cope with life’s challenges. She tells her children that education not only helps you and your family, but your community, too.  Lindsay and her family live in Mint Hill.

Toni Moss lives with her two children, ages 15 and 6, in Ballantyne.  Currently a junior at UNC Charlotte earning a B.S. in Communications, she was once a teenage mother.  Early motherhood forced her to make many adult decisions.  Those experiences, along with a pregnancy support group that introduced her to mentors, were the jump start she needed to begin her college journey. It took 12 years with some starts and stops.  But Moss never forgot the look in her mentor’s eyes when her mentor told her, “I believe in you.”

Moss holds an associate degree in hospitality management.  The pandemic forced her to think more broadly about her future.   She now works full-time at Raytheon Technologies and part-time as an event planner for Elevated Living.   Moss wants to be the catalyst for generational wealth and stability for her children. “I want my children to know it is worth every obstacle, every tear, and every late night to achieve this major life accomplishment,” she says.  She hopes to one day own a restaurant and event management company.

Celeste Paul is studying for a B.S. in Business Management and minor in computer science at Belmont Abbey College. She anticipates graduating in 2027. “I know God is working through ANSWER scholarship to provide me this opportunity to go back to college,” she says, “and I’m so grateful.”  Paul lives with her five-year-old son in Lake Wylie, S.C., and has been a single mom for four years.

Paul is a survivor of both physical and mental abuse. Following graduation, she hopes to work in technology and to open a nonprofit home that provides for, rehabilitates and helps women like her overcome abuse.  She wants to instill in her son the power of determination, leadership, sacrifice, and discernment.

Briana Pertee hopes to teach second grade following graduation in May 2025 from Catawba College with a B.A. in Birth through Kindergarten Education.  The married mother of two works full-time at St. Johns Child Development Center in Salisbury.  She didn’t pursue college at the traditional age because her family did not see education as a priority and the costs were prohibitive. She will be the first in her family to obtain a college degree.

Pertee experienced hard times as a child and says school was difficult because of bullying and other emotional situations. These experiences motivated her to become a teacher.  A resident of Granite Quarry, Pertee wants her children both at home and at school to know that it’s okay to be different.

Melissa Poindexter, a married mother of two, has worked for years as a hairstylist. She later provided hairstyling and makeup services for the deceased at a local funeral home. She considered it an honor to provide this service and did so for free. Over time she realized she wanted to help people facing serious illnesses while they were still alive.

As part of Gaston College’s Class of 2026, Poindexter is pursuing an associate degree in nursing and general education. She plans ultimately to earn a B.S. in Nursing and become a hospice nurse. Raised by a teenage mother, Poindexter says in her younger years, survival skills were far more emphasized than personal growth or academic advancement. Despite this attitude she aspired to break the cycle of limited opportunities. She believes that getting her education will set a great example to her children.

At 21, Lauren Reese gave birth to her daughter. Every decision she has made since becoming a single mother has been done with her daughter's future in mind. She is determined not to become another statistic.

Reese is majoring in social work at Johnson C. Smith University. Following her graduation next May, she hopes to become a mental health therapist and own a childcare center. Reese currently works at Mad Science in Charlotte, which provides science experiences for children. She and her daughter live in west Charlotte.

Reese wants to teach her daughter that education is important and anything worth having is worth the hard work it takes to get it.

Takeia Reid is a single mom to a 14-year-old son. Reid is attending Carolinas College of Health Sciences and will graduate in April 2026 with an Associate Degree in Nursing. This will be her second degree as she holds an Associate Degree in Medical Assisting from Gaston College.

Reid currently works full-time in outpatient services for Advocate Health’s internal medicine division and hopes to pursue a career that keeps her in internal medicine. She sees this degree as another steppingstone in her career journey. Reid wants her son to understand that learning is a lifelong process. The family lives in Gastonia.

Amy Roberts lives with her husband David and three children in Matthews. She is earning a B.S. in Psychology at UNC Charlotte with expected graduation in December 2024. She ultimately hopes to earn a master's degree in counseling and become a school counselor. Roberts works full-time for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools as an exceptional child teaching assistant.

Her interest in psychology and counseling stems from her father's death when she was four to bipolar disorder.  Roberts was pulled out of school in eighth grade. She lacked formal education until the age of 17 when she studied and earned her GED. Roberts took the next step and immediately enrolled in community college but left the following year to marry and start building a photography business to help support her family. Once she began having children, her college education was put on hold until now.

Roberts says ANSWER Scholarship has truly opened doors for her and her family that she didn't think possible. She is glad she took the leap and trusted in herself since she was the only thing holding herself back.

​RaeDeja Sawyer, is a mother of four and two bonus children. She is studying for her B.A. in Political Science with a minor in professional writing and rhetoric at Queens University.

Sawyer pursued a college education at the traditional age for one semester, but her father's illness required her to return home to help her mother care for him. Her dad always emphasized education, specifically for women, saying it fostered independence. Even in his final days, he urged her to get her degree. Sawyer enrolled in CPCC just two months after his passing and earned an associate degree with a focus on criminal justice and psychology.

Sawyer wants her children to see that education not only can maximize their own growth and development, but also can help them strengthen the lives around them and build up successful communities. Upon graduation, she plans to enter law school or earn a master’s in public administration or public policy.

Monkia Wells is a first-generation college student, the first in her immediate family to graduate from high school and attend college. Wells is a senior at Winthrop University working toward her B.A in Business, she is the mother of three children.

Wells grew up the youngest of four and always knew she wanted to make something of herself. She has faced many obstacles that kept her from finishing college but feels now, with her children a bit older, she can continue what she started in her 20s. Her career goals include either owning a business or rising to a high-level position within a company.

Wells wants to show her children that they can be whatever they want if they stay focused, keep their grades up, be respectful and work hard: “They can do it just like Mommy.” Wells lives with her children and partner in Rock Hill.

Celeste Zamor attends Gaston College and will transfer to Belmont Abbey in the Fall of 2025 for her B.S. in Nursing.  She is a licensed practical nurse and works part-time at Nurses and More, caring for medically fragile children while they are at school. She says that having a son on the autism spectrum has taught her a lot about resiliency.  Helping him become stable became a priority and her own schooling was put on the back burner.  She is now refocusing on her education.

Zamor is married and a mother of three.  She has always emphasized to her children the importance of education on any level, whether it’s a trade or a college degree. “Getting an education will push you further in life. Nothing is easy, but you must be consistent and determined.”