Former Pittsburgh Steelers’ Offensive Lineman and Garland native, Valerian Ume-Ezeoke, has brought his career full circle by supporting his hometown high school through the first ever Valerian Ume-Ezeoke “Hope” Scholarship in conjunction with the Garland ISD Foundation. The inaugural scholarship stems from a need the area has been experiencing for the last ten years. While financial assistance and low-income families have increased at Lakeview Centennial High School, so have test scores in areas of History, Literature, and Science.
Bridging the gap between potential and necessity, Valerian saw fit that he supports young men in the local area who will be the first in their family to go to four-year university by starting an annual $1,000 scholarship designated specifically for young men.
In efforts to show young men that there is life beyond football and athletics, future endeavors will support areas of STEM and teaching. Senior, Donovan Waiters, was the first at this year’s Senior Night to earn the Valerian Ume-Ezeoke Hope Scholarship and will begin his educational career at Prairie View A&M University this fall. Donovan becomes the first of many to hope for a brighter future right here in Garland.
Criteria for the scholarship are:
- Recipient must be a student in good standing at the end of the school year.
- Recipient must be an African American male student at Lakeview Centennial High School.
- Recipient must plan to attend a public or private four-year University.
- Recipient must be the first in their immediate family to attend a college or four-year University right out of high school.
At LCHS: Ume-Ezeoke was a three-year lettermen and key player for the Lakeview Centennial High School Patriots as both an offensive lineman and a defensive lineman. As a defensive lineman, Ume-Ezeoke had 52 total tackles during the 2010 regular season, 21 of those tackles were unassisted and 31 were assisted. He was selected to the all-district team in 2008, 2009 and 2010, named offensive lineman of the year by the Garland Lakeview Centennial High School offensive staff in 2010, and chosen as the Chevy Prep Player of the Week, which is an achievement based off of both academics and athleticism. He was ranked as the No. 36 center in the country by Scouts.com. Ume-Ezeoke was an all-state selection as a sophomore and a second team all-state pick as a junior.