Team DC Night of Champions Event

2014 Team DC Night of Champions (Photo by Angell Lynn)

Team DC is non-profit organization that serves as the association for the Washington metropolitan area’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) sport clubs. The Team DC Student-Athlete Scholarship is awarded to a self-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) student-athlete who has made a contribution to the sport(s) he or she is a part of and, as a result of his or her contributions and involvement, has enhanced the perception of the LGBT community. This year Team Dc has officially recognized nine student-athletes as recipients of the 2015 Team DC College Scholarship Program.

This year’s annual “Night of Champions Awards Dinner” will be hosted by Omar Sharif Jr. with guest speaker Andrew Goldstein, the first openly gay professional team player. Scholarships will be personally awarded to each recipient on November 7, 2015 at the Washington Hilton. The event will include a cocktail reception and silent auction followed by dinner and presentation of awards. Individual tickets as well as tables are available for purchase at www.teamdc.org/champions.

The scholarship program was created in 2008. Team DC’s mission has been not only to support openly out student-athletes, but to educate and foster discussions with coaches and other school administrators about the challenges facing LGBT athletes. Since the program’s creation, Team DC has awarded student-athletes with 30 scholarships totaling nearly $40,000.

“Team DC is proud to award this group of impressive young people for their tremendous accomplishments in the classroom and on the playing field,” said Bud Rorison, Scholarship Committee Chair, Team DC. “The number of applicants to Team DC scholarship program continues to grow each year, and we are delighted to extend support to these nine students in 2015, representing the largest number of scholarships that have been given in one year.”

The 2015 scholarship recipients (with their high school and where they will be attending college) include:

• Fayra Bonilla-Rubi, Lee High School, Fairfax, VA / Potomac State College (WV)
• Lisa Chen, West Springfield High School, Springfield, VA / University of Virginia (VA)
• Lillian Chong, Mount Vernon High School, Alexandria, VA / George Mason University (VA)
• Kyra McClary, T.C. Williams High School, Alexandria, Virginia / Smith College (MA)
• Nora O’Leary, Washington-Lee High School, Arlington, VA / Loyola University (LA)
• Jameesha Parker, Luke Moore Alternative High School, Washington, DC / University of the District of Columbia (DC)
• Gabriel Perkins, West Potomac High School, Alexandria, VA / Virginia Commonwealth University (VA)
• John Ramsey, Montgomery Blair High School, Silver Spring, MD / Oberlin College (OH)
• Sam Song, Poolesville High School, Poolesville, MD / St. Lawrence University (NY)

“The message a program like this sends to a young gay or lesbian high school student could have a huge impact on their life,” said Brent Minor, Executive Director, Team DC. “We are honored to support efforts like the Team DC College Scholarship program that make sports a safer and more welcoming environment for all competitors.”

Applications for the 2016 Scholarship Program will open on January 1, 2016. For more information about Team DC, including how to apply for a scholarship, please visit www.teamdc.org.