San Miguel's Streak: Three Jack Kent Cooke Scholars in Three Years

San Miguel eighth grader Linus was named a Cooke Young Scholar, a recipient of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarship. He is the third San Miguel student in three consecutive years to receive the award.

Linus, Class of 2026

The highly selective scholarship is awarded to about 60 high-achieving students nationwide each year. Linus follows in the footsteps of Simon (Class of 2025) who is now a freshman at St. John’s College High School, and Lander (Class of 2024) who is a sophomore at St. Anselm’s Abbey School. The first Miguel Man to win the award was Kelvin Mejia in 2008. Mejia went on to earn degrees from St. John’s College High School and Eckerd College and a graduate degree from Georgetown University. He recently worked in the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

Though the prestige of the award makes three consecutive San Miguel winners noteworthy, Dr. David Palank, President of San Miguel, is not surprised. “It’s a testament to our commitment to academic excellence,” he explains. “We meet our students where they are and elevate them to reach their potential. Whether that’s a student who is just grasping the language or a student who is on an Ivy League trajectory, our job is to maximize their potential in middle school and beyond.”

Linus is a straight-A student who was recognized as Miguel Man of the Year in June 2025. Outside of the classroom, he loves to play chess and is also a diligent and accomplished pianist. As a Cooke Young Scholar, Linus will receive financial support for high school and extracurricular activities. He will also receive academic and college advising and have access to summer programs, community initiatives, and networking opportunities.  

What does Linus’s future hold? He aspires to go to a boarding school like Phillips Exeter Academy, Deerfield Academy, or Taft School. And down the line, “I’d really like to start my own tech company when I grow up,” he shares. “I was so inspired when Ruppert Landscaping visited our school and shared the idea that you can create your own business.” 

It's exactly the kind of ambitious thinking San Miguel works to cultivate in every young man who walks through its doors.