Mount Vernon Student Receives Full Scholarship

MOUNT VERNON – Surrounded by family, friends, teammates, and coaches, senior track and field weight and hammer thrower Jannah Sharpe from The Mount Vernon High School signed a National Letter of Intent on February 27 to compete in track and field with Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. She received a full scholarship from the school.

“Take these next few months of your senior year as seriously as you have always taken them,” Principal Ronald Gonzalez told Sharpe during the ceremony. “And carry yourself through the next four years the way that you have carried yourself. Continue to make your mom and your family proud and don’t forget us here at Mount Vernon High School. I know that you will have a great career track-wise. But what you do with your education is going to be bigger than anything you will do in track and field.”

She’s competed in track and field all four years at the high school.

“It has been great to watch her go from a little ninth-grader who barely knew what to do to a senior who is hungry and wants to win everything no matter what,” said Charles Winslow, MVHS track and field coach. “No matter how big the other kids are, no matter how stacked the competition is, she’s out there giving her 100 percent.”

The speeches came from her coaches, former coaches, friends and teammates, as well as her mother Tarikah Wajid, and her father, Timothy Sharpe.

“I’m proud of what Jannah has accomplished,” said Wajid. “It was her goal from junior high school to get an athletic scholarship or an academic scholarship. She knew she was a talented athlete but she continued to work on her technique and skills that are necessary in track.”

Sharpe is currently ranked No. 10 in the U.S. and No. 3 in New York State for women’s high school hammer throwing. She has the furthest hammer throw and weight throw in Section IX.

She said her only goal now is to beat the school record.

“I want to thank everyone for coming,” Jannah Sharpe said, after the signing and at the end of the ceremony. “I’ve been working at this my whole four years at Mount Vernon High School and now I see everything is paying off. It’s nice to see.… This is my ultimate goal.”

About Mount Vernon City School District
With more than 8,000 students in 16 schools, the Mount Vernon City School District is committed to providing a quality education to its children as well as developing programs that meet the diverse academic and social needs of its students.