JLD SCHOLARSHIP FUND
JLD Scholarship Fund
Investing in the future leaders of tomorrow.
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.
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!
2026-2027 scholarship applications opening soon!
Applications will be open to young men of color graduating from Lexington Sr. High School. Click the link below to learn more.
Scholarship Award Statistics
This section highlights our increasing scholarship awards, recipient demographics, and our first-generation college student poll details.
Scholarship Award Growth
- Scholarship awards increased steadily by $1,500 each year from 2022 to 2024.
- We have maintained this momentum by awarding $4,500 in scholarships for both the 2024–25 and 2025–26 academic years.
- Our goal is to grow this impact even further, awarding $6,000 in scholarships annually in the future.
Scholarship Recipient Demographics
- 87% of awards granted to Black/African American young men.
- 13% of awards granted to Hispanic/Latino young men.
We are dedicated to expanding our reach.
First-Generation College Students
Based on a recent poll of our 2024 scholarship applicants, 3 out of the 5 reported being first-generation college students.