Parents Create Scholarship to Honor Daughter Lost on 9/11

Clifton and Michelle lost their daughter on the day that many of us will never forget. Asia Cottom was 11 years old when she was chosen to go on a National Geographic field trip because of her exceptional essay writing skills. Asia's father dropped her off at the airport on September 11, 2001. Asia and 2 other students were headed to Santa Barbara to the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Asia Cottom was on the American Airlines Flight 77 when it crashed into the Pentagon.

"I wanted to turn tragedy into triumph," said Asia's mother Michelle Cottom. For awhile the Cottom's would get a large amount of mail. Many times the mail had money enclosed. The Cottom's knew just what to do with the money they received from wonderful people all over the world who they had never met. The Cottom's started the Asia SiVon Cottom Memorial Scholarship Fund. The wonderful 501C3 Foundation has given out over $260,000 to 96 stellar scholars. The first recipient was Asia's wonderful reading tutor. Mrs. Cottom said, "For me to watch the students grow was my way of being able to send Asia to college over and over again."