The Asha JaQuilla Degree College Scholarship Fund

On behalf of the Burns High School Class of 1987, I would like to start this gofundme page to raise funds for

The Asha Degree Scholarship Fund.

My name is Gina Wilson Greene and my husband and I graduated with Harold and Iquilla. We have stood with them in prayer and support along with the entire rest of our High School Graduating class. We do this in Honor of Asha Jaquilla Degree. Our prayer is that this Scholarship will be used to aid young men or women who are graduating Burns High School and are continuing their education.

Asha Jaquilla Degree (AY-shuh; born August 5, 1990) went missing at the age of nine from Shelby, North Carolina, In the early morning hours of February 14, 2000, for reasons unknown, she packed her bookbag, left her family home north of the city and began walking along nearby North Carolina Highway 18 despite heavy rain and wind. Several passing motorists saw her; when one turned around at a point 1.3 miles (2.1 km) from her home and began to approach her, she left the roadside and ran into a wooded area. She has not been seen since.

An intensive search that began that day led to the location of some of her personal effects near where she was last seen. A year and a half later, her bookbag, still packed, was unearthed from a construction site along Highway 18 north of Shelby in Morganton. At the point where she ran into the woods, a billboard now stands appealing for help finding her. Her family hosts an annual walk from their home to the billboard to draw attention to the case.

Recent development's in the case lead me to focused prayer on how we as a community could help The Degree family. Short of Asha coming home, I prayed for the Lord's guidance . This scholarship fund has been prayerfully considered. I did take a moment a few days ago to visit with Iquilla. We had a wonderful visit talking and laughing about good times and great things that have happened in her life and mine. I love her and this family and hope that we are able to raise money so that we can give back in HONOR of this precious child.

I sat with Asha after her last ballgame before she went missing . What a beautiful, strong gentle spirit. I remember giving her money and asking Iquilla if it was ok to let her go to the concession stand and get herself something. She came back with a brownie and a beautiful smile.

Until Asha walks through her families door, or until we all find out for sure that Cleveland Counties Sweetheart has been HOME this entire time, lets do something to Honor Asha.