State Rep. Johnson awards Eastside student with Mary Moriarty Adams Memorial Scholarship

INDIANAPOLIS – State Representative Blake Johnson (D-Indianapolis) today announced Jairo Garcia-Cruz as the winner of the 2021 Mary Moriarty Adams Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded each year to an Eastside student who demonstrates a record of academic achievement, community engagement and volunteerism during their time in high school. After graduating in June, Garcia-Cruz, a first-generation college student, plans to study biology at the University of Indianapolis and hopes to go on to medical school following his undergraduate studies.

“Jairo is exactly the type of student and leader that we set out to recognize with the Mary Moriarty Adams Memorial Scholarship,” Johnson said. “Throughout his time in school, he has volunteered with Gleaners Food Bank to help distribute food to those in need, served as a translator for ‘Parents-in-Touch Day’ in Indianapolis Public Schools, gathered his peers to prepare and distribute food for our homeless neighbors and spent time working with Make A Wish.”

The Mary Moriarty Adams Memorial Scholarship is named in honor of the longtime Indianapolis City-County Councilor, who passed in 2018 after nearly three decades of public service. Johnson and his wife, Natalie Clayton, fund the scholarship for graduating seniors in Indiana House District 100 who exemplify Adam's strong commitment to public and community service.  

“Natalie and I are thrilled to recognize Jairo’s commitment to serving others and to empower his long-term goal of attending medical school,” Johnson said. “We need far more young leaders like Jairo to step up and work to forge a better city, state and nation for all of us. We look forward to all Jairo will accomplish.”