Cydney Davis ’18 wins Hekymara Scholarship

By Nelly Rouzroch, Multimedia Editor|May 1, 2018

Ava DuVernay, Cydney Davis ’18, Nina Shaw and Yvonne Orji pose with Davis’ scholarship award. Davis was awarded the Hekymara Scholarship by the Independent School Alliance. Photo courtesy of Davis.

On an average day, Cydney Davis ’18 leaves her house in Torrance around 6:10 a.m. At school, she runs from class to class, leads BSU meetings and gives tours to perspective families as an ambassador. After school, she attends varsity volleyball and basketball practices, then gets home around 8:00 pm. She does her homework, often until midnight, and repeats everything again the next day.

Davis, who has attended Archer since ninth grade, was honored with the Hekymara Scholarship at the annual gala for the Independent School Alliance [ISA] on Apr. 7 for her involvement and commitment to academics, athletics and extracurriculars.

According to their website, the mission of the Independent School Alliance is to “inform members of racial communities presently underrepresented in independent schools of the option of independent school education, to identify applicants from these communities and assist them in the application process and to provide ongoing support programs for students and their families and to act as a resource to member schools assisting them in their individual efforts to address issues of racial diversity and multicultural education.”

Davis has been a part of the ISA for 11 years, even before she enrolled at Archer.

“I remember they helped my mom get me into Mirman School and then again when I wanted to apply to Archer,” she said. “I was able to use their resources for test taking and interviewing, and I’m really grateful for the alliance for helping me with that.”

Archer faculty members attend the gala to support Davis, while she was being awarded her scholarship. From left to right: Sonali Perrera Bridges, Cydney Davis ’18, Elizabeth English, Amelia Mathis and Kate Webster. Photo courtesy of Davis.

During the gala, which was held at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica, Davis met director Ava DuVernay, attorney Nina Shaw and actress Yvonne Orji.

Davis recently committed to the University of Southern California and plans to major in health and human sciences. Her scholarship will go toward tuition, fees, books and other expenses. She also receive another scholarship on Apr. 28 from the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. South Bay Alumni Chapter.

“It was really cool being awarded [scholarships] because I worked really hard applying for scholarships — almost applying for them daily,” Davis said. “So it was really nice to be awarded a scholarship and at such an amazing event.”