“Here’s the thing about Donovan. He’s one of those students that he’s not about, ‘me, me, me,’ but he’s about, ‘what can he do to make others’ lives better, to help other students,’” said Newport Independent Schools Youth Service Center Coordinator Donna Watts.
Watts has known Newport Independent Schools student Donovan Macario-Avila since he was in seventh grade. Now a senior, Macario-Avila was named this year’s Hal Smith Scholar by the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program. The Hal Smith Award, in honor of Harold R. Smith, a Newport native and Newport High School graduate, goes to an NKY student who exemplifies leadership, service, academic excellence, and a dedication to making a positive impact.
An endowed scholar fund within the Governor’s Scholars Program is a distinguished honor awarded annually to a Governor’s Scholar upon completion of the program. Scholars selected to receive recognition through a named endowed fund are not awarded a monetary prize; rather, they are honored for their exceptional achievements, character and potential, according to the Governor’s Scholar website…