Lebanon HS student named winner of 2025 NAACP diversity scholarship

The Lebanon County NAACP has announced the winner of its 2025 NAACP Diversity Scholarship Award.

The one-time, nonrenewable $1,000 scholarship is offered annually to a deserving graduating Lebanon County senior to assist with the cost of books and other incidental expenses as they begin their post-secondary education.

This year, the winner is Amy Jasmin Liriano of Lebanon.

Liriano will graduate from Lebanon High School this spring and plans to attend Penn State, University Park Campus, where she will major in aerospace engineering.

Applicants are asked to respond to an essay prompt in 300 words or less. Liriano responded to this prompt: “The ability to learn and to thrive in an equitable and inclusive community that offers a wide range of perspectives is crucial to living a full life. So is the ability to share your own perspective and experience with that community. Write an essay that specifically describes what you have learned from and contributed to a diverse community you belong to, for example your school, club, team, church, or group of friends.”

In her opening paragraph, Liriano wrote, “Lebanon encompasses many different cultures, backgrounds, and languages in every corner of the city. From the various volunteering events to a simple hang out with friends, I learn different perspectives and struggles my community faces. Even when I volunteer for elementary events, I can see some of the struggles they try to hide. Whether it’s translating the instructions or making sure no student is left out in the activity, I try to reduce the burden they carry. I carry these struggles and perspectives to discussions of school policy and most importantly community members working to better Lebanon. In the Youth Advisory Board (YAB), I quickly learned the struggles that many students face in my school are foreign to others.”

Her essay was chosen from among six applicants.

The award was also based on the recommendation of a teacher or community member. Zachary N. Musser, mass communications teacher and gifted support coordinator at Lebanon High School, wrote of Liriano in his letter of recommendation: “The contributions she has made and positive leadership she has shown in our diverse community here in Lebanon School District has been impressive to say the least. She has devoted unknown amounts of her time to show up on-site at all hours of the day, regardless of whether or not school was in session, to help film various events and content in support of others’ needs. Her video content has been used by the district for teacher recruitment, community messaging, and staff training! She was also instrumental in producing a video to support the local N.I.C.K. charity in Lebanon.

“Additionally, she has led the multi-cam livestream of our graduation ceremony for the past three years. Simply put, she is always the student everyone can count on when something important needs to get done. She’s done all of these things because she cares about the community, because she knows what it is like to navigate the challenges of life as a young person of color, and most importantly because she genuinely believes she can make a positive difference in the world by simply doing the right thing. She has manifested that truth here at LHS.”

Lebanon County Branch 26AA of the NAACP was chartered by the national organization in February 2021. For more information, visit the branch website at lebanonnaacp.org.