Donavon Dicks won the Pride Global Youth Award, which honors an outstanding Mecklenburg County high school student who has demonstrated a passion for global outreach through volunteerism, fundraising for worthy causes or mission work.

The student must excel academically, spend time volunteering and demonstrate leadership skills. Donavon, a student at West Mecklenburg High, has studied Spanish and Japanese in school. He is a member of the Japanese National Honor Society and treasurer of the Japanese Club.

In the summer of 2010, Donavon competed in the Bardoli Global Scholars program and won a scholarship to travel to China for three weeks, where he learned about the culture and saw many new places.

He hopes to major in international studies in college and work as a Foreign Service Officer, international lawyer or perhaps a diplomat. He says all his goals and dreams are thanks to his grandmother who raised him with a sense of toughness and determination to succeed.