The Victory Project, Sporting Kansas City’s philanthropic foundation, has awarded Emerging Sports Leaders Scholarships in the amount of $5,000 to the following five high school seniors from across the Kansas City region.
Student Name | High School | College Choice |
Charles Lamer | Smithville HS (Smithville, MO) | University of Missouri |
Jaelyn Tramel | Van Horn HS (Independence, MO) | University of New Mexico |
Adelin Tumukunde | Washington HS (Kansas City, KS) | University of Kansas |
Nico Wirz | Lincoln College Prep (Kansas City, MO) | University of Missouri |
Zekarias Zekarias | East HS (Kansas City, MO) | Missouri State University |
The group participated in a celebratory reception on Wednesday afternoon in the Argyle Suite at Children’s Mercy Park featuring Sporting Kansas City defenders Tim Leibold and Jansen Miller as well as representatives from the scholarship selection committee, The Victory Project’s Board of Directors, The Victory Project’s Executive Committee and the KC Cauldron’s Board of Directors.
The scholarship recipients were gifted customized Sporting Kansas City jerseys and Victory Project scarves before receiving a tour of Children’s Mercy Park. The group will return to the stadium this Saturday to be honored during a special on-field recognition as part of the pre-match festivities prior to Sporting Kansas City’s home match against the New England Revolution.
The Victory Project has awarded Emerging Sports Leaders Scholarships annually since 2022 to provide financial assistance for post-secondary education to high school seniors in the Kansas City area whose lives have been impacted by the sport of soccer. A record 104 applications were submitted this year featuring a high school transcript, personal essay and letter of recommendation.
Launched by Sporting Kansas City in 2013, The Victory Project’s mission is to celebrate children’s victories, big or small, through philanthropic initiatives supporting childhood cancer and access to soccer. Through numerous events and initiatives, The Victory Project is dedicated to enhancing and enriching the lives of children battling cancer, providing special experiences and opportunities to kids with disabilities and creating a more welcoming soccer environment for local youth.
The Victory Project – which received the Community Champion award from the Kansas City Sports Commission and Foundation in 2024 – will host its two flagship fundraising events with the Victory Gala at Children’s Mercy Park on August 22 and the Sporting Invitational charity golf tournament at Loch Lloyd Country Club on October 13. To learn more or to make a donation, visit VictoryKC.org.
