INDIANA – The Indianapolis NBA All-Star 2024 Host Committee announced Wednesday they have awarded 24 members of the class of 2024 as Indianapolis NBA All-Star Rising Stars in association with the NBA All-Star Legacy Grants. The list includes Bedford North Lawrence student Destiny Morales, whose legacy grantee is the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence County.
“Winning the 2024 Rising Star Award has been the most humbling and exciting moment for me and my family. I am honored to have received this award while having the opportunity to impact others,” Morales said, “Over the past four years, working at my local Boys and Girls Club has given me the chance to be a part of many wonderful children’s lives. During my work experience, I have formed a bond with the kids that will always hold a special place in my heart.”
When asked about Destiny’s role in the club, Frank Decker, Director of the Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence County, said, “Destiny has worked several years now and always does everything she is asked. She is the perfect role model, and we are extremely happy for her selection for the Rising Star Award and are proud to have her at our club.”
This award includes a $2,400 scholarship for each Rising Star, payable to the college, university, or postsecondary institution Destiny chooses to attend after high school graduation.
And, of course, proud parents had some proud words to say on the matter: “Jana (Mother) and Myself (Joe Morales, father) couldn’t be more excited for Destiny receiving this award. Ever since she was a little girl she had her mind made up she was going to be an elementary teacher. She had excellent role models who were her teachers.”
When the NBA All-Star was originally scheduled to be held in 2021, the NBA All-Star Host Committee committed to completing 21 Legacy Grant projects and recognizing 21 deserving Rising Stars. Since moving to 2024, Legacy Grants of up to $50,000 have been awarded to three additional organizations, bringing the total Legacy Grant projects to 24.
In addition, each of the now 24 Legacy Grantees nominated high school-aged Rising Stars for their project. From those nominees, the Indianapolis NBA All-Star Legacy Committee, a subcommittee of the Host Committee, selected one Rising Star for each of the 24 Legacy Grants to receive this honor and scholarship.
“Recognizing 21 Rising Stars in 2021 for leadership in their schools and communities was extraordinary,” said Rick Fuson, NBA All-Star Board of Directors and Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO. “We are honored to recognize 24 additional students as they are both a testament to their schools, selves, and communities and to the commitment of our Legacy Grantees to serving the youth in their communities.”
The NBA All-Star Legacy Grants focus on youth-serving nonprofit organizations across Indiana. The initiative provided 24 grants of up to $50,000 for brick-and-mortar projects focused on health and wellness or education with an estimated impact on 90,000 youth statewide.
The NBA All-Star 2024 Rising Stars include:
| Legacy Grantee | Rising Star | High School (Location) |
| A Kid Again | Megan Broviak | Noblesville High School (Noblesville, IN) |
| Agape Therapeutic Riding Resources | Cade Mahin | Morristown High School (Morristown, IN) |
| Aspire House | Autumn Joshua | Believe Circle City High School (Indianapolis, IN) |
| Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence County | Destiny Morales | Bedford North Lawrence High School (Bedford, IN) |
| Boys & Girls Club of Noblesville | Kathy (Zee) Melinger | Noblesville High School (Noblesville, IN) |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana | DeAndre Cooper | Hammond Central High School (Hammond, IN) |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Marshall County | Sarah Stine | Bremen High School (Bremen, IN) |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County | Tala Tannir | Career Academy South Bend (South Bend, IN) |
| Chances and Services for Youth | Aarna Koduru | Terre Haute South Vigo High School (Terre Haute, IN) |
| Christamore House | Isaac Robertson | North Central High School (Indianapolis, IN) |
| Concord Neighborhood Center | Charlize Pruitt | Christel House at Manual (Indianapolis, IN) |
| Dream Center Evansville | Brayden Huebner | Evansville North High School (Evansville, IN) |
| Duneland Family YMCA | Zoe Trakas | Chesterton High School (Chesterton, IN) |
| Friends of Historic Vernon | Alexis Carson | Jennings County High School (North Vernon, IN) |
| Hawthorne Community Center | Jayla Williams | Ben Davis High School (Indianapolis, IN) |
| Indy Public Safety Foundation | Rashon Butts | Crispus Attucks High School (Indianapolis, IN) |
| Jameson Camp | Fatoumata Sow | Ben Davis High School (Indianapolis, IN) |
| Jay County Boys & Girls Club | Gage Sims | Jay County Jr-Sr High School (Portland, IN) |
| Knightstown Kids Inc. | Baeli Renie | Knightstown Community High School (Knightstown, IN) |
| L & A Park Foundation | Lacey Pickering | Delphi Community High School (Delphi, IN) |
| Project H.O.P.E. | Devon Kelley | Liberty Christian High School (Anderson, IN) |
| Turnstone Center for Children and Adults with Disabilities | Elliott Mohre | Edon Northwest (Edon, OH) |
| Washington County Family YMCA | Delainey Predmore | Salem High School (Salem, IN) |
| White’s Residential & Family Services | Carrie Collins | Southwood Junior-Senior High School (Wabash, IN) |
