By Kara Lopp
The Charlotte Weekly
March 20-26, 2009 Issue
Two of the just 70 high school students around the world who've been offered a Morehead-Cain scholarship attend Charlotte Latin School.
Though the female seniors share almost the exact class schedule, they couldn't be more different.
Moving to Marvin when she was in eighth grade, Jenay Powell said she didn't realize what a big deal the program was until she was given the scholarship opportunity. The 17-year-old runner was caught off guard recently by an unfamiliar competitor at a track meet who congratulated her on the accomplishment.
"We were at the starting line and this girl was asking me about it," she said.
The prestigious University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill scholarship offer, valued at about $80,000, pays all expenses for four years of undergraduate study, and provides a laptop computer and four summer enrichment experiences. More than 1,700 high school seniors were nominated by their schools or applied for the Morehead-Cain, the first non-athletic merit scholarship program in the country. Recipients are chosen by merit and accomplishments, not financial need. Winners have until April to accept the scholarship.
Powell, who has her eye on a career in medicine, hasn't decided whether she'll accept the scholarship. She's already been accepted to Washington University and has applied for a scholarship program at Duke University.
For now, Powell is keeping busy here.
As president of the school's Diversity Club she's revamped its focus away from international issues to the school's own diversity. Now they have monthly focus groups with speakers and other activities. This month they're learning about race and ethnicity. Last month they talked about gender and its stereotypes.
But one of the teen's biggest accomplishments is her work with English as a Second Language students at the South County Regional Library on Rea Road every Monday. She helps students with their homework and often helps their parents learn new English words too. It's a bridge between the child and his or her teacher, she said.
"Really, I don't think I quite realized how much of a need was there. Those parents depend on us so much more than I even imagined they would," Powell said.
Read next week's Charlotte Weekly for a profile of Charlotte Latin's Emily Zuehlke of Waxhaw.
To read the article online, go to www.thecharlotteweekly.com.