Published on: June 8, 2020

BATON ROUGE, LA – An Independent Selection and Review Committee (appointed by the Baton Rouge Area Foundation) has announced two winners of the 2020 Associated Grocers – Sam S. Politz Scholarship.  These scholarships are valued at $1,000 per semester for eight semesters to graduating high school students who meet all the required criteria.

This year we congratulate the following outstanding students:

Autumn Edwards of Baton Rouge, LA

Autumn is the daughter of Cody and Catasha Edwards.  She attended Baton Rouge Magnet High School in Baton Rouge, LA where she had a 4.20 GPA and scored a 29 composite on the ACT.

Among her awards and honors while at Baton Rouge Magnet, she received 1st place in the BRMHS Science Fair in Engineering.  Autumn was a National Honors Society Inductee and AP Scholar.  She was a four-year member of both the All Academic Division Swim Team and Track & Field Team, and was the 2020 Baton Rouge Magnet High Student of the Year.

Autumn has been active in many clubs including Dance Club serving as Historian, Key Club, Junior Classical League Secretary, and National Honors Society.  Her hobbies include reading, dancing, basketball, and flag football.

She volunteers her time at Living Faith Christian Center as a member of the super-choir and star dance team, as well as serving on the summer squad planning events for the youth during summer and school breaks.  Autumn has also been involved with the Baton Rouge Youth Coalition in various community special events.

Autumn will be attending Howard University in Washington, D.C. this fall where she will major in Computer Engineering with dual minor concentrations in Business and Education.  After earning her undergraduate degree, she would like to attend law school to obtain her law degree so she may represent computer development companies.  Ultimately, Autumn plans to take the Patent Bar and become a patent agent.

Gary Ramee, Jr. of Marerro, LA

Gary is the son of Evonne Mitchell.  He attended Patrick F. Taylor Science & Technology Academy in Avondale, LA where he held a 4.19 GPA and scored a 26 composite on the ACT.

He received numerous honors and awards during his high school career, including Superintendent’s Award, National Junior Honor Society, and Superintendent’s Student Council.  While maintaining his grades at Patrick Taylor, Gary also attended classes at Cullier Career Center where he received certifications in Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) and I-Car Collision Repair.

Among his school organizations, he was active in National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Track Team, and 4-H.  During high school, he took AP courses, enrolled in two dual enrollment college courses through LSU, and ran track for six years.

He volunteered 100 plus hours of community service working on projects with NJHS feeding homeless individuals, tutoring children, and participating in toy drives.  He also worked with Mission Ignition helping with hurricane clean up, painting houses, and landscaping.  He also served as a car show assistant with NOLA Motorsports.

Gary has chosen to major in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Automotive Engineering.  Ultimately, he will pursue a career in the automotive industry designing engines for Chevrolet or Toyota.  After mastering his craft, he also plans to open an automotive shop in his hometown offering quality service at affordable prices.

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