Marion High School Alumni Association congratulates this year’s winners of the James Blackmon Family Scholarship: Emerson Jackson and Abigail Ndow, both members of Marion High School’s Class of 2025.

This scholarship assists students in overcoming obstacles to reach for their dreams. In total, $1,000 was awarded this year.

The Blackmon family has provided scholarships for several years, but this is the second year the MHSAA has had the honor of presenting the awards to the honorees.

Emerson Jackson, $500 scholarship winner 

Emerson has been a varsity cheerleader and a member of the track & field team. She has also been involved with the IHSAA Student Advisory Council, Best Buddies program, National Honor Society, Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica (Spanish Honor Society), Science National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta National Mathematics Honor Society, M-Club, Key Club, and she is an AP Ambassador.She plans to attend Butler University and study chemistry and psychology.

Congratulations to these outstanding students!

Marion High School Alumni Association is grateful for our collaborative relationship with Marion Community Schools and the community, which enables us to help provide excellent opportunities for Marion students!

Abigail Ndow, $500 scholarship winner

Abigail is a member of Science National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta National Mathematics Honor Society, Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica (Spanish Honor Society), National Honor Society, Student Senate, Black History Club, Key Club, Fellowship of Student Athletes, Student Advisory Council, and the Best Buddies program. She is also a four-year member of the MHS cheerleading and girls tennis teams, and she was named an All-American Cheerleader in her junior and senior years. She has served as a peer-tutor at Marion High School, and she has helped coach Marion Youth Sports cheerleading. She is also an active member of her church, and has been dancing for many years. She also is an award-winning musician, having earned gold at the Indiana State School Music Association’s Solo & Ensemble competition.

She is a recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award, having logged more than 130 volunteer hours through the Leadership for Service (L4S) program administered by Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) Foundation. Abigail participated in a HOBY leadership conference in her sophomore year, and has been connected with the program since then, including work as a junior staff member. 

Abigail is a College Board national honoree, was selected an Indiana Association of School Principals (IASP) Rising Star in her junior year. She has earned the AP Scholar designation, for which a student needs to earn scores of 3 or higher on three or more Advanced Placement exams. A score of 3 designates the student as “qualified” and capable of doing the work of an introductory-level course in a particular subject at college, and many colleges and universities grant credit and placement for scores of 3, 4, or 5. She was selected the 2025 Distinguished Young Woman of Grant County, part of the annual DYW nationwide scholarship competition, and she earned a scholarship at the state level competition as well.

She plans to attend Butler University and major in biochemistry, with a career goal of becoming a pediatrician or pediatric oncologist.

“My experience at Marion has taught me how to be a better student, athlete, and person through academics, sports, and extracurricular activities,” she said.

Abigail is also a recipient of two other scholarships facilitated by the Marion High School Alumni Association: the Keller Family Science Scholarship and the Beekman-Porter Tennis Scholarship.