Vann Legacy Award Honors Pleasant Grove Seniors

Three Pleasant Grove High School seniors received life-changing gifts Monday night through a new scholarship and support effort created by Regina Vann Williams to honor the memory of her late father, Jesse James Vann.

The initiative, known as the Jesse James Vann Legacy Award, was presented during Pleasant Grove High School’s Senior Awards Night on May 11. The program was designed to recognize students who showed resilience, determination and character while working through personal hardship.

Rather than focusing only on grades or class rankings, the award centered on students who continued moving forward despite difficult circumstances.

According to information released about the program, school counselors, principals, administrators and other leaders quietly worked together over several months to identify students whose stories reflected the spirit of the award.

The first-place recipient, who plans to attend Tuskegee University this fall to study medicine, received a vehicle donated by Williams along with automobile insurance coverage through the remainder of the year. Organizers said the gift was intended to remove transportation barriers as the student begins college and pursues a future medical career.

The second-place recipient received free tuition to Lawson State Community College to study welding and HVAC. The student also received a used truck to help travel between school and work at The Home Depot.

Organizers said reliable transportation had been one of the student’s biggest obstacles and that the gift was intended to help create a stable path into the workforce after completing trade certifications.

A third student received one year of tuition at Lawson State along with a $500 shopping experience from Hibbett Sports to help prepare for college life.

“These students have faced challenges that could have stopped the average young person from dreaming, hoping, and achieving,” Williams said. “This is about showing them that hard work, prayer, perseverance, and character still matter. Sometimes your blessing is already waiting for you — you just have to keep going.”

Williams also said the effort was meant to remind young people that their attitude and work ethic often do not go unnoticed.

“Always be prepared to receive your blessing,” Williams added. “Good results can come from simply continuing to show up, believe, and put in the work.”

Williams has long been active in education and community efforts in Pleasant Grove. Her public platform has emphasized youth development, mentoring and expanded career opportunities for students.

The award was established in memory of Jesse James Vann, whose family has remained active in community and scholarship initiatives throughout the Birmingham area.