Newton North Graduate Recognized With Chamber Scholarship

NEWTON, MA — The Newton-Needham Regional Chamber awarded a scholarship to a Newton North High School graduate this week, according to the chamber Wednesday.

In past years the chamber recognizes two graduating seniors who live in or attend school in Newton and Needham. This year the chamber added a student from Wellesley.

While academic performance and extracurricular activities are important, our committee weighed their decision-making heavily on compelling stories that showed the scholarship would make a meaningful impact in each recipient’s life, according to the chamber. This year the selection committee got a glimpse of how these students had to navigate senior year through a pandemic.

The process was competitive this year, according to the chamber. Some 50 people applied and, the chamber’s Scholarship Committee selected Chika Udemagwuna of Newton, Johanna White of Needham and Samone Lumley of Wellesley for this year’s awards.

"Between COVID-19, significant events and family dynamics, this year’s scholarship recipients have demonstrated their perseverance through various challenges, stayed motivated and achieved," according to the chamber.

This year the chamber chose to recognize Chika Udemagwuna, who graduated from Newton North High School this spring and will be attending Hampton University in fall 2021.

She was recognized for being an empowered individual who has earned herself a leadership role of vice president of Newton North’s Black Leadership Advisory Council through her years of involvement in the club, according to the chamber.

Through this club, she has played a part in advocacy efforts to amplify black voices and culture within the community. Among her achievements, she helped create Black Culture Day at the school, which was featured in a Boston Globe article.

"I’ve seen her grow from a student that uses her voice to a student that leads with her voice," said METCO Engagement Specialist Elvin J. Cardona in a statement. "Her achievements as a student leader notwithstanding, COVID-19 posed a challenge to her college application process and was disruptive to her learning. Additionally, she had to deal with the loss of her grandfather to the virus at the start of the year, a tragedy that her and her family are continuing to cope with."