LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Two Little Rock student-athletes received the inaugural Ohio Valley Conference Service Award announced by the conference today.
Angelique Francis with women's basketball and
Graydon Martin with baseball earned the honor based on contributions they made both from the playing surface as well as in the community.
OVC member institutions who competed in the League during the 2022-23 academic year were able to nominate one male and one female student-athlete tto be honored. In total, eighteen total individuals were bestowed with the inaugural awards.
Angelique Francis, Basketball
While in high school, Angelique L. Francis founded the ALF Organization with a core mission to inspire, motivate and equip youth in her community to use their talents to focus on honoring the beauty within. This unique organization shares its passion for helping others from all walks of life to become better versions of themselves. Angelique has overcome many battles throughout her childhood and has used her experiences to connect to others in her community by spreading awareness about mental health, suicide prevention, and trauma recovery.
Through her own very personal experience of finding her voice, gaining confidence, and activating her talents as a child golf protégé, college basketball scholarship student-athlete, and motivational speaker, Angelique's desire is to provide a platform where others can be heard and encourage people to live their life to its fullest. ALF partners with local and national community organizations to support homeless shelters, mental health facilities, and wellness activities. This is a different kind of organization because twenty percent of profits go directly to designated charities that ALF has built a relationship.
During her four years at Little Rock, Angelique has been very active in the local community food shelters, homeless shelters, and the homeless community in general putting events together to donate food, and putting brown bag lunches together. She also volunteered at the local women/children's shelter creating programming for them. She was also the 2023 Pat Summitt Most Courageous award winner.
Graydon Martin, Baseball
Graydon has excelled in community service this year and has been a leader for our team in that regard. This year Graydon has spent time working both on-campus events as well as spending time in the community. On campus this year Graydon has spent time working at soccer games as a ball boy, and swim meets as a timer. Graydon also spent time volunteering for our large fundraising event, SpectacuaLR, Little Rock Athletics award show. Off-campus Graydon has spent time with the Junior Deputy Little League teaching young kids fundamentals of Baseball. Graydon also spent time packing lunches and dinners for Feed Arkansas Kids. Graydon worked in the car drop-off line for Baker Elementary. Finally, Graydon spent a few weeks volunteering at the Billy Mitchell Boys and Girls Club doing community service every day. Overall Graydon has been a leader both on and off the field being a great example of what it means to serve for others and make a great effort to stand out and make the community of Little Rock a better place.
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