Miles Davis Jazz Scholarship Recipient Aniya Morrow Celebrates Passion for Music and Hard Work

ALTON - Aniya Morrow was recently recognized by the Miles Davis Jazz Committee for her hard work at Alton High School.

The Miles Davis Jazz Committee honors six students who demonstrate a passion for music. Morrow, who recently graduated with a 4.049 GPA, made a name for herself at AHS as a dedicated student, powerful journalist and music-lover.

“Though music as a career is not my passion, music has made my life way better,” Morrow said. “It’s at the point where I cannot imagine a world without my favorite artists in it. I don’t think anyone could, to be honest.”

Morrow pointed to composer John Williams and producer Timbaland as examples of artists who have made her life better. She noted that Timbaland is “such a genius” with his work in hip hop and R&B music, while Williams has become known worldwide for his compositions in movies like “Harry Potter” and “Star Wars.”

At AHS, Morrow served as the news editor for the student newsmagazine “The Redbird Word” and the student news website “The Daily Bird.” Her teacher April Gray noted that Morrow has “produced quality writing” while also showing a knack for editing other students’ writing. Morrow recently won first place at the Southern Illinois Scholastic Press Association conference for website news writing.

“Aniya has a track record of exceptional academic performance,” Gray added. “She holds herself accountable for her own academic success and demonstrates a high level of personal responsibility.”

These characteristics made her an ideal candidate for the National Honor Society, which prioritizes academic success and community service. She also served as a member of Link Crew, a mentorship program that allowed Morrow to help freshmen students in their transition to high school. She regularly helped in the school office and volunteered as part of the tech crew for the high school’s theater program.

While Morrow was busy with all of these extracurricular activities, music was her constant companion. She remembers listening to movie soundtracks and “some newer songs” as she completed her work and wrote stories for “The Redbird Word” and “The Daily Bird.” She noted that she doesn’t know what she would do without music to help her through her day.

“I love listening to music whenever I want to feel something,” Morrow added. “Music has affected me because I cannot imagine living without something I appreciate so much and listen to every day.”

The Miles Davis Jazz Committee awarded Morrow a $500 scholarship, which she’ll put toward her education. She will enroll as a full-time college student during the Fall 2024 semester, with plans to study animal science at an Illinois university.

Congratulations to Aniya Morrow!

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