Two Washington, DC Area Students Recognized by Foundation for Outstanding Achievement in Community Service

LANSDOWNE, Va., July 29, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation announces recipients of the Matthew J. Quinn Prize and the Matthew J. Quinn Youth Leadership Award, Yasmine Arrington and Eva Albalghiti, respectively.  Both are Foundation Scholars and Washington, DC area residents who are recognized for outstanding achievement in community service.

The Matthew J. Quinn Prize ($10,000 award) is given to Jack Kent Cooke Scholars or alumni. The Matthew J. Quinn Youth Leadership Award ($5,000 award) is given to current Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars.  These awards honor the Foundation's first executive director, Dr. Matthew J. Quinn.

"Jack Kent Cooke Scholars are known for their passion for giving back to society," said Lawrence Kutner, Ph.D., executive director of the Foundation. "These two young women are great examples."

Yasmine Arrington of Washington, DC, attends Elon University in North Carolina. She is the founder of ScholarCHIPS, which provides college scholarships to graduating high school seniors with a parent in prison. To date, ScholarCHIPS has awarded eight scholarships totaling $11,000. Yasmine has been recognized as an AXA National Achiever, an Abramson Foundation Scholar, a Washington Redskins College Success Foundation Leadership 1000 Scholar, a 2012 BET Black Girls Rock M.A.D. (Making a Difference) Girl, and a Linowes Leadership "Unsung Heroes Award" Youth Recipient.

Eva Albalghiti of Silver Spring, MD, is a 2008 Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholar and a 2013 College Scholar who will attend Yale University in the fall.  She is recognized for her creation of the Learning and Enrichment for Adolescents Program (LEAP) at her high school. LEAP's first project was a "Homework Help" service that gave elementary and middle school students access to free tutoring from high school students. Eva has received both the Intel STS Research Report Badge and the Chatham College Book Award. 

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is a private, independent foundation dedicated to advancing the education of exceptionally promising students who have financial need.  Founded in 2000 by the estate of Jack Kent Cooke, the Foundation has awarded $100 million in scholarships to more than 1,900 students, and $70 million in grants to organizations that support our mission.  www.jkcf.org

SOURCE Jack Kent Cooke Foundation