Nashville Fire Department’s BLAZE Mentoring Program celebrated the winners of the 2023 BLAZE Scholarship on Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at a dinner hosted by the Tennessee Titans.
The Tennessee Titans invited the BLAZE scholarship recipients, their family, friends, the BLAZE Mentors and PENCIL partners to the Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park Titans Practice Facility to acknowledge the accomplishment of the seven graduating MNPS Seniors.
BLAZE announced the following recipients:
- Halima Ali, Glencliff High School
- Ryder Hagan, John Overton High School
- Adiyah Mayes-Hathaway, Early College High School
- Bao Le, Glencliff High School
- Kunia Pullen, Pearl Cohn High School
- Mya Talley, McGavock High School
- Jasmine Williams, Whites Creek High School
The BLAZE Mentoring Program announced the seven winners in November and made the special announcement that the Tennessee Titans would be hosting their Scholarship dinner later in the Spring. Each scholarship recipient is awarded $1,000.
“Watching this program grow has simply been amazing,” Director Chief William Swann said. “To understand BLAZE operates on volunteers from our NFD personnel and donations from our community and our community partners, like the Tennessee Titans… and BLAZE has awarded $17,000 to MNPS students to date- again, amazing!”
The BLAZE Mentoring Program has been operating since 2018. The mentoring program’s goal is to make a positive impact on the lives of Metro Nashville Public School High School Students.
BLAZE mentors are all Nashville Fire Department personnel who aim to reduce any limits that students have relating to their future and to push students to be their best. BLAZE mentors expose students to a variety of local career opportunities, guide students toward positive paths and build connections with students beyond the classroom.
BLAZE partners with PENCIL and MNPS high schools to provide community service opportunities to students throughout the academic school year.
“The Nashville Fire Department serves a critically important role in protecting our community, and we are honored with any opportunity to celebrate their diligent work,” said Gil Beverly, Titans Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer. “Positive mentors can be a gamechanger for young people, and we are proud to acknowledge these heroes and the impact they are making in the lives of many.”
Community partners such as the Tennessee Titans, Nashville Predators and Nashville Soccer Club, offer support in varying ways; including allowing students opportunities to attend sporting events, special access to facilities, and even donations to the scholarship fund.
In 2022, BLAZE awarded eight (8) $1,000 scholarships to winners graduating from MNPS. Combined with this year’s awards BLAZE has awarded $17,000 in scholarships total.
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