10th Annual Vince Dooley Award Winners Named

Anna Katherine Cates of Darlington School, and Noah Shepard were named as the recipients of the four-year scholarship of $1,000 per year by legendary Coach Vince Dooley on April 29, 2017 at a ceremony held at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.  Nearly 300 student-athletes and guests attended the event which featured inspirational messages from Coach Dooley, ABW Founder/President Fred Northup, and Atlanta Public Schools’ Assistant Director of Athletics Kandice Mitchell.  In attendance was last year’s speaker and special guest Carror Wright of the Georgia High School Association.  All enjoyed a breakfast meal, compliments of Chick-fil-A.  The Hudgens Family Foundation was once again the Presenting Sponsor for the event.

Cates distinguished herself on the field as a first team All-Region Soccer player while also captain of the Cheer squad, receiving the highest scholar-athlete award in both.  In the classroom, Anna Katherine is a member of the Cum Laude Society, National Honor Society, Math and Science Honor Society, Societe de Hispanica, numerous E.L. Wright Awards for highest average in a subject, and is a finalist for both the Stamps Presidential Scholarship at Georgia Tech, and the Morehead-Cain Scholarship at the University of North Carolina.  In the community, she is the founder of nonprofit Donate Health, collecting and shipping medical supplies to clinics in Guatemala, plus supports Rome Area Young Life and other volunteer activities.

Shepard carries a 3.97 GPA while excelling at soccer and football despite recovering from major back surgery for scoliosis.  Noah manages to volunteer significant time for Stop Hunger Now, Special Olympics, Hospice Care, YMCA soccer, Upward Basketball, Restoration Disaster Relief, and the Satilla River Clean Up.