Wellington District student earns prestigious honor

The Wellington Exempted Village School District has announced McCormick Middle School eighth-grader Maya Feron, 14, has been selected as a Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholar from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation.

She is one of just 50 students out of the 2,600 talented students who applied from across the country to be selected for this prestigious achievement, and the only student in Ohio.

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation received applications for the Young Scholars Program from 48 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. A national panel of highly experienced educators reviewed applications - evaluating students essays, extracurricular activities, recommendations, grades and financial need. Of the 2,600 that applied, 507 were selected as semifinalists, and then 50 scholars were named. Cooke Scholars come from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds and from rural, suburban, and urban communities.

According to information from the Foundation , Cooke is the former owner of the Los Angeles Lakers and Washington Redskins. He died in 1997. In his will, Cooke made provisions for the sale of the Redskins

and some of his other assets to create a foundation to help extraordinary students with financial need afford a college education. The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is dedicated to advancing the education of exceptionally promising students who have financial need.

Maya’s school activities include marching band, Drama Club, choir, Academic Challenge and Student Council. Her hobbies include hanging out with her friends and family. She is interested in studying music composition in college. She plays the flute in concert band and the piccolo in marching band at school. She also takes courses at the Lorain County Community College Wellington Center.

As a Cooke Scholar, Maya will receive intensive academic advising from the program’s educational advisers.

Maya