Honoring Those Who Came Before by Paying it Forward
431 Exchange Scholars Pursue Careers in Law, Dental Hygiene and Software Engineering to Help Others
Scholarship Winners: Justin Holder, Nicole Andry, Azaria Player
Justin Holder
Pursuing a Law Degree to Help Families in Need
As the product of a single-parent family, Justin Holder finds himself drawn to family law because he hopes to help families as they work through difficult situations.
A graduate of Brother Martin High School in New Orleans, Justin credits his mother’s example for his drive to succeed. Despite health struggles, his mom has provided for Justin and his brother, and they want to “pay it forward to her” by succeeding and giving back.
Now a pre-law major at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Justin says he loves to debate and plans to pursue family law or work with clients facing medical issues. “Family law seems very interesting to me,” he says. “I could see myself giving back time to nonprofits that help people with chronic illness.”
Justin praises The 431 Exchange for supporting hardworking students that are facing financial hardships and showing compassion and “looking deeper” to understand the needs of those who “have driven themselves and remained focused despite financial worries and hindrances.”
Nicole Andry
Seeking to become a Dental Hygienist to Educate and Uplift Patients
Nicole Andry grew up in her grandmother’s house, where she learned to believe in herself and “strive to make the best of everything and carry the lessons forward with a purpose.”
Nicole is a legacy scholar as her grandmother, Mary Elizabeth D. Andry, graduated from the Adult Education Center in 1966. A 2024 graduate of Eleanor McMain Secondary School in New Orleans, Nicole is studying pre-dental hygiene at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and considering working in pediatric dentistry.
A thoughtful, grateful student, Nicole understands that she will have to work hard in a demanding curriculum to fulfill her dream of becoming a dental hygienist and helping patients achieve better health outcomes. “It is not only my dream to teach people how to care for their teeth, it is also to be an advocate for those who need uplifting and gentle care. I always knew I was destined to help people,” she shared. “I want to push myself to the best of my ability to fulfill my dreams to encourage kids or adults while working in an environment that uplifts one another.”
Nicole said her grandmother “is uplifted by the (AEC’s) training, instructors and especially the director’s sincerity and dedication” and Nicole appreciates how The 431’s support “will help achieve my educational plan, as it helped my grandma.”
Azaria Player
A Passion to Succeed
Azaria Player is enthusiastically studying software engineering at Operation Spark in New Orleans and says her drive and dedication are a tribute to her mother, whose support has allowed Azaria to chase her dreams. “My mother overcame many hardships to make sure I had support,” Azaria said. “She always believed in me and that drives me to keep going, even in times of struggle and doubt.”
Azaria previously tried coding on her own and described the stress of facing “the computer staring at you and waiting for you to tell it what to do.” A thoughtful and tenacious student who graduated from C. E. Byrd High School in Shreveport in 2021 and studied computer information systems at Bossier Parish Community College, Azaria truly hit her stride when she found Operation Spark. “It opened my eyes,” she recalled. “The team were passionate and understanding. They assured me they wouldn’t let me fail and that they supported me every step of the way.”
Azaria is a testament to perseverance and she appreciates The 431 Exchange for its dedication to help and ability to see students’ potential. “The program is full of passion. (They) want to help others grow through education. They offer opportunities to those who never expected one. That’s the kind of environment I’ve always wanted to be part of.”