2017 Ernie Sims Charity Weekend

This past summer, the Big HITS Foundation celebrated its 10^th Annual Ernie Sims Charity Weekend on July 14-15, 2017. This weekend featured an Charity Youth Football and Cheer Camp, an Track Invitational, an Community Champions Gala and an Charity Flag Football Game with local business leaders, athletes, FSU alumni, and current and former NFL players.

The Ernie Sims Charity Weekend was created ten years ago to honor Tallahassee student-athletes for their community involvement, and award them with scholarships to further their education. This year, the top three (3) senior student athletes in Leon County received the Big HITS Foundation Scholarship and acknowledgment at our Community Champions Gala.

Charity Weekend Events

Ernie Sims Youth Football and Cheer Camp
July 14, 2017 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Location: Tom Brown Park

Big HITS Foundation Flag Football Game
July 14, 2017 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Location: Gene Cox Football Stadium

Ernie Sims Track Invitational
July 15, 2017 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: FSU/Mike Long Track

Big HITS Foundation Community Champions Gala
July 15, 2017 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Location: Hotel Duval

Here are this years Big HITS Foundation Scholarship recipients:

Donovan Kelly (First Place – $2,500) is a student-athlete who gave every aspect of himself to his community over his high school career. He played football and track and eld at St. John Paul II and in his sophomore and junior years he received the Most Improved Player award. In addition, during his junior and senior year he was elected as a Big Bend Offensive Player of the Week and the Amos P. Godby Student Athlete of the Year. Donovan was also the team captain and received the coach’s achievement award. In track and eld he competed in the 100, 200 and 400 meters as well as the shot put. He holds the school record in the shot put and was the team MVP and team captain.

Donovan is very involved in his local church. He traveled to New Orleans twice for mission trips where he helped revitalize homes affected by hurricane Katrina. He also serves communion to the elderly at Allegro senior center. He was a member of his school’s Aerospace Engineering Club going to the Florida Astronaut Challenge three times.

Donovan was the Valedictorian and Summa Cum Laude Graduate with a weighed GPA of 4.0. He has received numerous awards such as AP Computer Science Academic Scholar, American Government Honor Academic Scholar, Florida Academic Scholar Award and AP Scholar with Honors. He will be attending Georgia Tech in the fall to study Aerospace Engineering.

Ja’Varius (Jay) Harrison (Second Place – $1,000) attended North Florida Christian for 7 years and participated in football as a middle linebacker and team captain. He is an active member of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Quincy and has been preaching the Gospel of Christ for the past two years. He has served in several positions at his church and his community. Jay is currently attending the University of Buffalo on a full athletic scholarship. He was awarded the Mickey Andrews Defensive Player of the Year Award by the Tallahassee QB Club following his Junior Season. He plans to major in Exercise Science and hopes one day to be a team physical therapist.

Kelly Breeden (Third Place – $500) was a dual sport athlete for many years in waterskiing and pole-vaulting at Florida State University School. She has mentored others through her school programs such as book buddies, the elementary art program and through coaching younger athletes at her school in track and eld and waterskiing clinics. Kelly was instrumental in building and advancing pole-vaulting from one person (Kelly) to over 10 members. Since 2013, Kelly has received conceivable every pole vault award in the State of Florida including District Champion, Regional Champion, State Champion, Most Valuable Athlete, School Record Holder and Female Athlete of the Year. Kelly is currently attending Florida Southern College in Lakeland competing in waterskiing.