Scholarship | HLA Foundation

The Harryson Lafayette Anderson Scholarship

For the Student
Who Goes Unnoticed.

Harryson believed in the quiet ones. A $2,500 award for the average student who shows up, works hard, and deserves their chance.

Apply for the Scholarship View Awardees

About the Award

Average Grades.
Extraordinary Heart.

Harryson Lafayette Anderson maintained a GPA between 2.0 and 3.0. He was not a valedictorian. He was not aiming for the honor roll. He was just a young man who showed up every day, took care of his people, and believed his future was worth building.

This scholarship exists for students like him. Not the ones at the top of the class, but the ones in the middle, quietly doing the work, often overlooked by programs built only for the highest achievers.

The H.L.A. Foundation awards $2,500 annually to one deserving student at Ascend Leadership Academy in honor of Harryson's life and his mother Nina's unwavering commitment to turning grief into purpose.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Enrolled at Ascend Leadership Academy
  • GPA between 2.0 and 3.0
  • No disciplinary record during the year of application
  • Submit a 500-word essay: "The Impact of Gun Violence: Strategies for Fostering Peace and Safety in the Community."
  • Complete the online application below

$2,500

Award Amount

2026

Inaugural Year

2.0–3.0

GPA Range

500

Word Essay

Scholarship Contact

Nina Anderson

H.L.A. Foundation

[email protected]

910-858-8681

Sustain the Scholarship

More Scholars.
Every Single Year.

A one-time gift funds this year's award. A recurring gift guarantees there's a scholarship waiting next year, and the year after that, for the next average student at Ascend Leadership Academy who just needs someone to believe in them.

Give Monthly

As an individual, your recurring gift builds the fund behind this scholarship, so next year's deserving student never has to wonder if the award will still be there when they need it most.

Give Monthly

Organization Giving

Local businesses can adopt an annual scholarship commitment. Structure a recurring corporate gift and put your company's name behind the students Harryson believed in most, at Ascend Leadership Academy and beyond.

Organization Giving

Student Spotlight

Awardee Recognition

Each year, one deserving student carries Harryson's name forward. Their story will be shared here.

2026 – 2027 Inaugural Awardee

Coming Soon

The first recipient of the Harryson Lafayette Anderson Scholarship will be announced following the close of the 2026-2027 application cycle at Ascend Leadership Academy.

Announcement Pending

Know a student who belongs here? Encourage them to apply below.

Applications Open

Apply for the
Scholarship.

Fill out the form below to begin your application. All submissions are reviewed with care. Every story matters.

Applications are confidential
Questions: (919) 842-5411