🎓 Announcing the 2025 TWFF Seed Scholarship Recipients

The Whittaker Family Foundation is honored to announce the recipients of the 2025 Seed Scholarship: Azaicha Jean-Baptiste and Sharod Ford Jr. Each scholar is awarded $2,500 to support their continued education. This scholarship represents more than funding—it’s a seed planted in good soil, with the expectation that it will grow and be fruitful for generations to come.

Azaicha is a scholar-leader whose achievements reflect excellence, service, and purpose. She earned the Hillsborough Alliance of Black School Educators High Academic Achievement Award and serves across campus life through the Hillsborough County Youth Leadership Council, National Honor Society, Collegiate Ambassador, Key Club, Black Student Union, Student Government Association, and Soaring Hawks mentorship program.

With 128+ community service hours, Azaicha has contributed to Hands of Hope Sickle Cell Awareness, Hope Couture Fashion Show, Hillsborough County RAISE tutoring, the Humane Society, and she regularly hosts and supports school-based volunteer initiatives (Key Club, NHS, and Armwood sports events).

She demonstrates strong leadership as Co-President of Student Government, holds board roles with Soaring Hawks and Key Club, and serves as Project Manager for the Black Student Union. In her free time, she enjoys canoeing, reading, working with children, social studies, modeling, and Bible study.

Sharod is a high-achieving student recognized Cum Laude with Honor Roll and Principal’s Honor Roll distinctions. His extracurriculars include Football, Aviation, NJROTC, Beta Club, Theatre, Adobe Design, School Announcements, and Peer Tutoring.

He has completed 120+ hours of community service, including serving food at air shows and for seniors, coordinating elementary school fairs, hurricane-relief support, student tutoring, recording sports film, cleaning highways and school buses, and reading to children.

Sharod’s leadership includes President of Gentlemen’s Quest, Chapel Talk Leader, Chapel Song Leader, Football Team Captain, Aviation Squadron Leader, Peer Tutor, and NJROTC Squad Leader. He enjoys photography, reading, biking, video games, chess, and music.

The Whittaker Family Foundation understands the value of education in creating opportunities for the next generation. By providing financial resources for higher education, the Foundation empowers young individuals to build a solid foundation as they enter adulthood. Education imparts essential life skills and helps each scholar hone their unique talents—enabling them to pay it forward and contribute to society.

Congratulations, Azaicha and Sharod—this honor is well deserved. You truly represent the values we hold dear: faith, perseverance, leadership, and service. We believe these seeds are planted in good soil, and in due season, they will grow and be fruitful.

We celebrate your journey today and look forward to next year’s submissions!