The WALKS Foundation has named Christopher Jones ’16, Gary Simons ’17 and Kailin Wright ’16 as WALKS Scholars for the 2014-2015 academic year.
WALKS is an acronym for five Hartford area schools — Westminster School, Avon Old Farms School, Loomis Chafee School, Kingswood Oxford School and Suffield Academy. In its 58th year, WALKS’ central purpose is “to provide scholarships at its five members schools for motivated, talented youths from Greater Hartford with a demonstrated financial need whose talents, commitment and energies promise community leadership in the future.” WALKS Scholarships, which are funded by area businesses, foundations, families and individuals, enable Walks Scholars to obtain the best possible secondary school education and college preparation.
Christopher Jones ’16, a resident of Hartford, is a Sorenson Pearson Scholar and a Hartford Youth Scholar. He is a member of Black and Gold and the Multicultural Student Union, manages the football team, plays basketball and participates in track. He also plays AAU basketball and volunteers at a soup kitchen. He hopes to become a mechanical engineer.
Gary Simons ’17, a resident of South Windsor, is a Hempstead Scholar and a Hartford Youth Scholar. He is co-president of Better America and is a member of the SALSA Club. He also participates in football, swimming, and track and field. He aspires to be an obstetrician.
Kailin Wright ’16, a resident of Hartford, is a Gummere Scholar. She participates in Chorale, Dramat and scene shop. She enjoys volleyball, basketball and tennis, and hopes to major in English and singing in college. She also volunteers at a soup kitchen.
In addition to the three WALKS Scholars, Sophie Skinner ’15 was named a recipient of the Barnes Service Award, which annually recognizes one student on each campus who demonstrates outstanding and exemplary volunteer service either on or off campus. She is president of SON, (Serving our Neighbors), has volunteered with the MS Walk, collected canned goods for a food pantry, helped with the annual Angel Tree project and raises money for cancer projects. She also serves on Black and Gold, is president of the Dance Ensemble, sings in Chorale and plays squash.
The students attended the annual WALKS Scholars luncheon Oct. 7 at the Hartford Hilton Hotel, where Kailin spoke about her “journey to get into an independent school” including the guidance of her mother and her participation in the Hartford Youth Scholars Foundation (HYSF). She also spoke about how she likes the academic challenges of her Westminster AP U.S. History and AP English classes. “I decided to take the harder class because I knew that I would be exposed to more difficult material and that I would be pushed.” She ended by saying, “Because of the support of generous donors who support WALKS, HYSF that guides scholars and because of my mom who encourages me, I have been able to strive to attain my goals and produce new experiences that I wouldn’t have been able to have without all of you and with that I thank you, WALKS donors and school leaders for your support.”