The JLD Scholarship Fund was established in 2010 with a mission to honor the legacy of Johnny Leroy "Lee-Lee" Dawkins, Jr. by providing scholarship awards to young men of color upon graduating high school for the purpose of pursuing a higher education while joining the fight against gun violence.
We have been honored to consistently award scholarships annually as a result of the support from our community.
Scholarship awards are $1,500. Our goal is to award $6,000 annually.
Recipients of the JLD Scholarship Fund have made valuable contributions to their families and the community becoming husbands, fathers, teachers, city officials, real estate agents, production company owners and more!
Applications will open March 3 - April 25, 2025
Applications will be open to young men of color graduating from Lexington Sr. High School. Click the link below to learn more.
This section highlights our increasing scholarship awards, recipient demographics, and our first-generation college student poll details.
Scholarships awarded has grown by $1500 each year since 2022.
We are dedicated to expanding our reach.
Based on a recent poll of our 2024 scholarship applicants, 3 out of the 5 reported being first-generation college students.