Ali Bird Will Attend UVA as Jefferson Scholar; Olga Salama Wins Top Emily Couric Leadership Scholarship

Two members of the Charlottesville High School class of 2025 have won major scholarships to support their undergraduate studies.

One of only several dozen students nationwide to earn a full ride to the University of Virginia as a Jefferson Scholar is Charlottesville High School senior Ali Bird. And the winner of the top $50,000 scholarship from the Emily Couric Leadership Forum is Charlottesville High School senior Olga Salama.

“Ali and Olga are both exceptional students and leaders,” said CHS Principal Dr. Justin Malone. “Our staff have been proud to witness each of them achieve academically and give back to their community. These scholarship wins are a testament to their talent, hard work, and community spirit.”

Senior Ali Bird to Attend UVA as Jefferson Scholar
Ali Bird has earned a full ride to the University of Virginia as a Jefferson Scholar. Annually this honor goes to only about 35-45 students nationwide. Ali is the first Black Knight to become a Jefferson Scholar since 2019.

Jefferson Scholars must “possess an exceptional record of and the potential for impact both inside and outside the classroom,” and Ali was selected from a pool of more than 2,500 of the top high school seniors in the country. In 2023 she won the state debate championship in Public Forum. Additionally, she is the president of CHS’s engineering club, BACON (Best All-Around Club of Nerds), and the Young Feminists Club. She is also the captain of both the cross-country team and the debate team, and served as the student representative on the Charlottesville City School Board.

Ali plans on studying engineering with the hope of continuing UVA's collaboration with the engineering program at CHS.

Jefferson Scholars’ award includes tuition, room, board, books, and miscellaneous expenses based on full-time enrollment for eight semesters at UVa. In addition, Jefferson Scholars have unique opportunities to explore other areas of interest including music lessons, international travel, and research collaboration.

Senior Olga Salama Wins Emily Couric Leadership Scholarship 
Senior Olga Salama has won the Emily Couric Leadership Forum’s top scholarship of $50,000.

Born in Congo, Olga attended school in a refugee camp in Burundi before moving to the US in 2021 with her parents and seven younger siblings. Starting as a 9th grader at CHS, she spoke Swahili and French – but no English. She quickly moved from newcomer ESL classes to Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment (teachers say they have never had a student who learned English so fast!). She is in the National Honor Society, mentors students who are learning English, leads the Sunday school at her church, and has volunteered with the homeless and the International Rescue Committee. 

Olga is still deciding on where she will attend college, but she knows she wants to study medicine and global health. 

She will be honored alongside ten other local young women leaders at a luncheon held by the Emily Couric Leadership Forum on April 10.