Nominees sought for Murphy mentor awards

ASHEBORO — Nominees are being sought for the 2026 Russell E. Murphy Sr. Outstanding Mentor Awards. The deadline for submissions is Feb. 26 and should be sent to Willie Gladden at 336-706-0923.

Gladden and Jonathan Spencer were coached by Murphy when they were on the Asheboro High School football team. Murphy was instrumental in mentoring them and encouraging them to attend college.

As a result Gladden and Spencer presented the first mentor awards in 2016 to honor the memory of Murphy. 

The mentor awards recognize African American male role models/mentors in the Asheboro Eastside Community. 

Those who qualify must have gone above and beyond in helping young African American males in their development and growth as they pursue the journey of education and manhood.

 The qualifications are modeled after Coach Murphy’s ideals which he spent most of his adult life in the Asheboro community enacting.

In addition to coaching young people in the Asheboro City Schools, Murphy was inducted into the NC Weight Lifting Hall of Fame, Winston-Salem State University’s Big House Gaines Athletic Hall of Fame and was named a member of the Coaching Hall of Fame at Asheboro High School.

Each year, local churches in the Eastside Community are asked to identify a member of their congregation to be considered for the mentor award. 

Two individuals are selected each year and receive trophies as well as having their names engraved on a plaque to be displayed at their churches.