1. Second Place
Law Offices of Michael A. DeMayo LLP
2011 Michael A. DeMayo Scholarship
Summary
Attorney Michael DeMayo created the Michael A.
DeMayo Scholarship program in 2003 and awarded
five $1,000 scholarships to Mecklenburg County
seniors who wrote essays about how our community
could help curb underage drinking and driving.
Through the past decade the program has grown
and evolved to include 15 winners across 23 counties
who each receive a $2,500 scholarship. The format
and promotion of the program remained the same
until 2010, when staff recommended to also allow
students to express themselves through other media
such as video, PowerPoint, web design or brochure
design.
The scholarship program was promoted through
press releases and on our website. Staff also mailed
letters and applications to guidance counselors
at more than 100 high schools, a practice that
occurred in previous years as well. However, we were
disappointed after receiving only 156 applications
in 2010 when the previous year we had received 250
applications. Additionally, we learned through focus
groups that many people in the community were
unaware of the scholarship program.
When creating the public relations plan for the 2011 scholarship program, the
goal was to increase the number of scholarship applications by 50 percent and
enhance community awareness of the program. By increasing our budget and
aggressively promoting the scholarship program through traditional (television)
and nontraditional (social media) methods, we were able to increase scholarship
participation by 119 percent.
Since 2003, our firm
has awarded $200,000
in college scholarships
to high school seniors.
In 2011, we awarded
15 $2,500 scholarships
totaling $37,500
to students in the
communities we serve.
Our firm’s scholarship
committee selected
students based on their
academic achievements,
school and community
involvement, SAT scores
and a presentation that
encouraged fellow teens
to abstain from underage
drinking and driving
and highlighted the
dangers of drinking and
driving. This effort, along
with our Arrive Alive
program, aims to help
teenagers make smarter
decisions and prevent
tragic injuries and deaths
associated with underage
drinking and driving.
To view the 15 winning
presentations, go to
www.DeMayoLaw.com
and click on the
Community Service tab.
For more information,
send an e-mail to
info@demayolaw.com
Imani Augustus
Ardrey Kell High School
(Mecklenburg)
Attending: University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chelsea Barnes
SouthView High School
(Cumberland)
Attending: University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill
Harrison Brown
WestMecklenburgHighSchool
(Mecklenburg)
Attending: University of North
Carolina atWilmington
Savannah Burns
FredT. Foard High School
(Catawba)
Attending: Gardner-Webb University
Sara Carter
St. Stephens High School
(Catawba)
Attending: University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill
AnaMarie Dimeo
Bessemer City High School
(Gaston)
Attending: Methodist University
Emilia Moncayo
Myers Park High School
(Mecklenburg)
Attending: University of North
Carolina at Asheville
Kailey Filter
Marvin Ridge High School
(Union)
Attending: University of North
Carolina at Charlotte
Christian Payne
Albemarle High School
(Stanly)
Attending: University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill
Mark Holcomb
NorthwestCabarrusHighSchool
(Cabarrus)
Attending: North Carolina State
University
Zachary Porfiris
Mooresville High School
(Iredell)
Attending: University of North
Carolina atWilmington
Jay Johnson
South Caldwell High School
(Caldwell)
Attending: University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill
Casey Swoope
CentralAcademyofTechnology
and Arts (Union)
Attending:Western Carolina
University
Marni Krehnbrink
East Lincoln High School
(Lincoln)
Attending: University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill
Patience Wall
Richmond Senior High School
(Richmond)
Attending: Duke University
Michael A. DeMayo
ScholarshipWinners 2011
www.DeMayoLaw.com