The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Poklar Scholarships awarded to nine student-athletes
Nine student-athletes from area schools were awarded Bret Poklar Memorial Scholarships on May 21 at Panini’s in Willoughby.
Poklar’s parents, Sue and Terry, selected the winners from a pool of roughly 70 applicants. The scholarships were awarded for the fourth year, and the recipients now number nine after six were awarded in the first year.
The winners were Lake Catholic’s Josh Corbin and Lauren Denk, Willoughby South’s Timothy Sherman, Kathryn Lann and Michael Federico, Mayfield’s Courtney Favazzo, Eastlake North’s Samantha Senik, Madison’s Isaiah McClure and Perry’s Jacob Rigby.
“They’re not just a good athlete and a good student,” Sue Poklar said. “They’re good people. They’re good to people, they’re good to their family, they’re good to their friends.”
The scholarship winners were presented with commendations from Mentor-on-the-Lake state representative John Rogers. Lake Catholic graduate Joe Jurevicius then announced the nine winners of the $1,500 scholarships. Jurevicius read accomplishments of each recipient and coaches spoke as well.
Mayfield’s Favazzo will play soccer at Ohio Northern. Favazzo already owns 32 college credits and is accepted into a doctorate program. Favazzo graduated with a 4.6 grade point average.
She played soccer and ran track for the Wildcats, and played basketball through her sophomore year. Her athletic prowess extends to the football field, where she claimed the NFL’s regional Punt, Pass and Kick title as a ninth-grader.
Alongside the scholarship received May 21, Favazzo was also awarded the 2017 Cavaliers Huntington Scholarship. Favazzo was one of 10 Northeast Ohio students selected from 600 applicants to receive $2,000 and an iPad.
Mayfield counselor Joe Hays called Favazzo the most impressive student he’s seen in 28 years as counselor.
Favazzo said she applied for the Poklar Memorial Scholarship as her father told her about the Poklar family. She says her work ethic and determination is closest to what Bret Poklar embodied.
“Anything that’s put in front of me, I will give it 100 percent all the time,” Favazzo said. “That’s just a big thing with me. My parents and my family, Mr. Hays, have really taught me that. I feel like my work ethic and determination to go out and reach my dreams has been a big inspiration to me.”
Corbin, a football and baseball player at Lake Catholic, was chosen as he played football for Cougars coach Scott O’Donnell, who knew Poklar. He wrote his mother, Sue, a letter saying if there was ever a kid he’s coached who reminded him of Poklar, it was Corbin.
Corbin will attend Walsh to play football. He plans to study political science and may pursue a career with the FBI or as a lawyer.
Corbin called the Poklars the nicest family he’s ever met. He feels his sense of community is why the Poklars chose him as a winner. “I like to help other people and I definitely think he did, too,” Corbin said. “I just think we’re both kind and just enthusiastic about everything we did. I think we always did stuff to better ourselves and to better others.”
The scholarships are funded by the Bret Poklar Memorial Scholarship Benefit, a golf outing on Sept. 16. A Chinese auction at the event will feature a guitar signed by Willie Nelson and jerseys signed by LeBron James, Francisco Lindor and Stephen Curry.
Sue, who lives in Kissimmee, Fla., visited her son’s grave before the scholarships were distributed. She decorated it for Memorial Day, and the day of the ceremony makes her feel particularly to her son as he endures in the students honored May 21.
“I love them seeing them talk,” Poklar said. “I feel pride in these kids and want to see what happens with them. You kind of take them in as your family and want to see them do well, see what becomes of their lives.”