{"id":161349,"date":"2026-02-19T16:26:22","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T16:26:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/161349\/"},"modified":"2026-02-19T16:26:22","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T16:26:22","slug":"two-downtown-doral-charter-upper-school-seniors-have-earned-national-recognition-from-the-jack-kent-cooke-foundation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/161349\/","title":{"rendered":"Two Downtown Doral Charter Upper School seniors have earned national recognition from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Two\u00a0Downtown Doral Charter Upper School<\/a>\u00a0seniors have earned national recognition from the\u00a0Jack Kent Cooke Foundation<\/a>, one of\u00a0the nation\u2019s most prestigious scholarship programs,\u00a0which\u00a0provides\u00a0significant\u00a0financial support to help\u00a0recipients\u00a0pursue higher education.<\/p>\n

Maria Alfonzo has been named a Cooke College Scholarship Finalist, and Sofia Garcia was selected as a Semifinalist. These\u00a0honors\u00a0build upon a remarkable year for DDCUS, including the school\u2019s first-ever Ivy\u00a0League\u00a0admission,\u00a0Cristhian\u00a0Rey.<\/p>\n

Maria Alfonzo: Finalist\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Maria Alfonzo<\/p>\n

Downtown Doral Charter Upper School (DDCUS) senior Maria Alfonzo has been named a finalist for the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship, recognizing her years of academic achievement and dedication.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Maria has been named a Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholar since 7th grade and has earned numerous distinctions, including AP Scholar with Honors, Florida\u2019s Superintendent\u2019s Diploma of Distinction, the Florida Seal of Biliteracy, the Florida Seal of Fine Arts, and Spain\u2019s T\u00edtulo de Graduado en Educaci\u00f3n Secundaria Obligatoria. Her academic interests in psychology and neuroscience have led her to conduct research at Charleston College\u2019s Summer Liberal Arts Institute, participate in Vanderbilt University\u2019s Hacking on the Human Brain Mentor Immersion, and earned third place in Miami-Dade\u2019s SECME Competition for a science outreach video.<\/p>\n

Outside of the classroom, Maria has completed more than 900 community service hours and founded and hosts Legacy Tales, a podcast that promotes intergenerational storytelling and civic engagement. As a founding member of the Active Minds Advisory Board for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, she also leads mental health discussions with 250 scholars nationwide.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Maria plans to pursue a career in psychiatry, using her academic training and compassion to support vulnerable communities.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sofia Garcia: Semifinalist \u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Sofia Garcia<\/p>\n

Downtown Doral Charter Upper School (DDCUS) senior Sofia has been named a semifinalist for the Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship, placing her among the nation\u2019s top students selected from thousands of applicants.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Born in Venezuela, Sofia immigrated to the United States at age nine and used the challenge of learning English and adapting to a new environment as motivation to excel academically. She has earned a 5.053 weighted GPA while completing rigorous coursework in the Spanish Dual Language, IB MYP, IB DP, AP, and Dual Enrollment programs.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sofia is also a dedicated leader, who serves as the president of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and captain of the Doral Soccer Club team. She has also worked for the Miami Open and completed Harvard University\u2019s renowned Justice course.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sofia plans to pursue a career in law, with the goal of advocating for immigrant communities and uplifting families whose experiences mirror her own.\u00a0 <\/p>\n


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