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High school senior Cordelia Isbell was awarded $20,000 by Foot Locker as part of the Foot Locker Scholar Athletes Program that annually recognizes 20 students nationwide for exceptional leadership in the classroom and community, as well as for achievements in sports.
In a surprise celebratory reveal held at the Hays High School Gym on Monday, Isbell joined an elite academic group of 140 previous awardees who received scholarships since the inception of the program in 2011, to pursue their college educations.
In its eighth-consecutive year, Foot Locker Foundation has recognized students who are not only scholar athletes but advocates in their community. These future game-changers serve as positive role models today who will go on to positively impact tomorrow through their sheer determination and passion. The scholarship program is designed to help defray costs for college-bound students, making attending college more affordable and accessible.
Recognized for her academic excellence and exemplifying strong leadership skills both in sports and within her community, Isbell joined the Foot Locker Scholar Athletes class of 2019, selected from a highly competitive pool of over 13,000 applicants.
“It is truly rewarding to be able to recognize outstanding students who have positively impacted their schools, communities and teams through our Foot Locker Scholar Athletes Program,” said Richard A. Johnson, chairman and chief executive officer of Foot Locker, Inc. “Our mission is to empower exceptional scholar athletes and to give them the opportunity to exceed their expectations and potential with a college education. Each year, we are inspired by the students, their stories and the promise of their future impact on society.
About Cordelia Isbell
From the classroom to her community, Cordelia is a sports enthusiast with a passion for soccer and helping her peers out. As the captain of her varsity soccer and tennis teams, she also actively participates on the varsity basketball team.
Her multifaceted love of sports has helped lead her soccer team to win the 2018 4A Divisional Title. Pivoting from an accomplished athlete to a Jazz musician, Cordelia plays both the piano and trombone.
Her range of skills on and off the field are inspiring as is her desire to give back to those around her. Her commitment to her community is evident as she founded and is the president of the Hays High School Red Cross Club, and has received the Daughters of the Revolution Good Citizen Award.
Additionally, she has started a shoe drive for Soles4Souls to collect 20,000 shoes to stomp out poverty. Volunteering at the Hays Medical Center has sparked a keen interest in medical school. Cordelia, who earned a 4.0 GPA, hopes to attend Pomona College in Claremont, California, and one day become a surgeon.
The availability of scholarship programs, such as the Foot Locker Scholar Athletes Program, can make a real difference in the affordability of a college education. This year’s twenty winners will join the program’s seven previous classes of Foot Locker Scholar Athletes, which results in 160 total scholarship recipients over the eight years since the program’s inception in 2011. With its 2019 Class, the Foot Locker Foundation will have invested nearly $3.0 million in the education and future of some of America’s most promising scholar-athletes.