Sports Backers and Richmond Times-Dispatch Celebrate ALL Stars Graduation and Welcome Next Class of Leaders

Celebration at the Hippodrome recognizes impact, growth, and future changemakers

RICHMOND, VA – Leadership, service, and community took center stage at the historic Hippodrome Theater as Sports Backers and the Richmond Times-Dispatch celebrated 21 graduating seniors from the Active Living Leadership (ALL) Stars program at the annual ALL Stars Awards Show.

The ALL Stars program is a year-long leadership development experience for a select cohort of scholar-athletes from across the Richmond region. Chosen through a competitive nomination and application process, students explore active living leadership through mentorship, educational sessions, volunteering, and hands-on community experiences throughout their senior year.

Working in small groups alongside mentors, participants connect with organizations and initiatives across the region that focus on wellness, advocacy, accessibility, and community development. The program culminates in a capstone project, where students work together to address a need within the active living community and present their work at the Awards Show.

“What stands out most about this class is the way they embraced the experience from day one,” said Jacki Quinlan, Director of Youth Programs at Sports Backers. “They were curious, engaged, and willing to put themselves in new environments where they could learn and contribute. You could see them start to recognize the role they can play in shaping their communities, and that’s what this program is all about.”

Now in its third year in its current form, the ALL Stars program builds on the legacy of the Scholar-Athlete Awards Program, which began in 1992. Over the past 35 years, more than $1.6 million in scholarship funds has been awarded to Richmond-area students through the initiative.

Each graduate received a $2,500 scholarship, with additional honors recognizing exceptional contributions across several categories:

• ALL Star MVP Awards ($4,000 each): Paige Suter (Freeman High School) and Grace White (Matoaca High School)
• Thirst for Knowledge Award ($2,500): Tess Vithoulkas (Tucker High School)
• Community Impact Awards (in memory of Ray Patterson and Cheryl Oliver, $2,500 each): Chloe Harley (King William High School) and Ariana Crowley (Godwin High School)
• Sports Standout Awards ($2,500 each): Lilly Thoman (Steward School) and Dylan Cline (Midlothian High School)
• Team Player Award (in honor of Scott Schricker, $2,500): Charlotte Baker (Appomattox Regional Governor’s School)

A full list of graduates is available below.

Athlete First Name	Athlete Last Name	School Name
Abigail	Martin	Maggie Walker Governor’s School
Anthony	Bastardi	Maggie Walker Governor’s School
Ariana	Crowley	Godwin High School
Carys	Khan	Mechanicsville High School
Charles	Lange	St. Christopher’s School
Charlotte	Baker	Appomattox Regional Governor’s School
Chloe	Harley	King William High School
Dylan	Cline	Midlothian High School
Ella	Saunders	The Steward School
Grace	White	Matoaca High School
John	Chen	Collegiate School
Kyria	Martinez	Saint Gertrude High School
Lillian	Davies	Maggie Walker Governor’s School
Lilly	Thoman	The Steward School
Lyntreal	Emory	Varina High School
Mia	Fairman	Godwin High School
Michael	Jackson	Hermitage High School
Paige	Suter	Freeman High School
Samyak	Gupta	Freeman High School
Savannah	Wright	Matoaca High School
Tess	Vithoulkas	Tucker High School

The celebration also looked ahead, introducing the Class of 2027 ALL Stars. Twenty students from across the region have been selected to begin their journey this August. Over the coming school year, they will explore topics including Active Living 101, equity in access to movement and recreation, advocacy, and life beyond sport, while building relationships with other community-minded student-athletes.

With each new class, the ALL Stars program continues to evolve into more than a recognition—it’s a launchpad for young leaders ready to make a lasting impact in Richmond and beyond.

A list of the class of 2027 is available below.

Athlete First Name	Athlete Last Name	School Name
Caroline	Ashoff	Trinity Episcopal School
Leah	Bazianos	Freeman High School
Cabel	Berkeyheiser	Trinity Episcopal School
Ben	Cowgill	Freeman High School
Kylee	Crotts	Matoaca High School
Addison	Dowdy	Blessed Sacrament Huguenot Catholic School
Karmyn	Hills	L.C. Bird High School
Addison	Holder	Prince George High School
Katelyn	Jaeger	Midlothian High School
Brian	Jones	Thomas Jefferson High School
Lilly	Katz	Godwin High School
Ashton	Kochel	Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School
Michaela	Lipscomb	John Marshall High School
Loch	Macfarlane	St. Christopher’s School
Camden	Metzger	Mechanicsville High School
Maddie	Royster	Richmond Christian School
Josh	Seifert	Hanover High School
Gianna	Strattman-Lassiter	Mechanicsville High School
Jaylen	Tyler	L.C. Bird High School
Hadley	Walder	Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School

This program, and the scholarships that the students receive, are made possible by the generosity of individual donors, sponsors, and contributors to the Scholar-Athlete Scholarship Endowment, the Scott Schricker Memorial Scholarship Endowment, and the Ted Cox Memorial Scholarship. The program sponsors include:

Richmond Times-Dispatch

Williams Mullen

Keiter CPAs

Drs. Norman, Obeck and Foy Dentistry

Richmond Region Tourism

Virginia Family Dentistry

Forsyte IT Solutions

Agecroft Partners

Papa Johns

Universal Leaf Foundation

For more information about the program please visit https://www.sportsbackers.org/program/all-stars/.