Each year the CIF picks one boy and one girl as its top scholar-athletes with the reward a $5,000 scholarship from Farmers Insurance.
This year’s recipients of the 2016 CIF/Farmers Scholar-Athletes of the Year award are Kelly Blake of Loyola-Los Angeles and Sophia Brown of Foothill-Pleasanton.
Additionally, twenty CIF Section winners, one male, one female in each of the 10 Sections, were also recognized and each of them receives a $2,000 scholarship from Farmers. Since 1982, the scholarship award identifies student-athletes who excel in the classroom, athletics, and are strong contributors to their schools and communities.
Blake and Brown were selected from a pool of 400 candidates representing 1,576 CIF member schools statewide. The State Capitol and Senate and Assembly Floors will honor Brown and Blake on Thursday, May 26 in Sacramento.
“At Farmers Insurance we believe in the power of smart. Mirroring that belief, we are honored to present college scholarships to these bright and talented scholar-athletes,” said Bill Walrath, Head of Territory for Southern California, Farmers Insurance. “We are delighted to be able to help these young men and women advance their educational aspirations and we look forward to following their continued success in the future.”
Kelly Blake, Loyola-Los Angeles
Respect is his motto
Blake has been a member of the Loyola football team for the past four years, serving as team captain as a senior. His commitment to his studies earned him National Merit Scholar Commendation, as well as AP Scholar with distinction recognition. Blake has also been active in many extracurricular activities including serving as President of the Monogram Club, an exclusive organization for varsity athletes who also perform well in classrooms and are exemplary student-athletes.
Blake also makes time to serve his community as a four-year member of Amigos Unidos, a mother/son community service organization serving the greater Los Angeles area in a wide variety of philanthropies. His dedication to serving the community has earned him Loyola’s President Volunteer Service Award, twice.
“In my mind, respect is the most important trait one can have,” states Blake. “I believe that respect for any and all people is important in being successful in anything, because people listen to you if you respect them. Respect creates relationships and I believe I have created great relationships with my teachers, coaches and peers in high school.”
In the classroom Brown carries a 3.97 GPA and scored 35 on the ACT. He will be attending Stanford where he plans to major in engineering and economics with plans for a potential career in engineering, business or finance.
Chris O’Donnell, Loyola High School athletic director adds, “Kelly’s caring and compassion that he has for his fellow students and others that he comes in contact with always shines through.
Sophia Brown, Foothill-Pleasanton
Emulating success to inspire others
For Foothill multi-sport athlete Brown, the award goes beyond herself and her accomplishments.
“Now, as the end of my high school career approaches, I learned through retrospect that my proudest accomplishments were achieved by emulating those more successful than I,” states Brown. “Thanks to those preceding me, I pushed myself to realize my potential and now it is my turn to inspire those following me. It is, and always has been, my ultimate goal to better myself in order to inspire others to do the same.”
Brown is a four-year member of both the basketball and lacrosse teams at Foothill High School, serving as team captain on both squads as a senior. She also excels in soccer, her primary sport, as she is a member and team captain of RAGE Soccer Club.
For her accomplishments in the classroom, Brown has earned National Merit Scholar Commendation, as well as AP Scholar with distinction recognition. She is also involved in her school as ASB President as well as previously serving as class president. Brown’s involvement in her local community includes being a six year member and leader of the National Charity League, as well as a Youth member of the Pleasanton Parks and Recreation Committee. She has received senior level Silver and Gold Torch Awards from Girls Scouts of America and has also volunteered with Special Olympics Bay Area and Kids Against Hunger. Additionally, Brown is an accomplished pianist, having played since kindergarten.
In the classroom Brown carries a 3.95 GPA and she scored a 35 on the ACT. She will be attending Cal Poly San Luis Obispo where she plans on majoring in aerospace engineering with a career goal of becoming an astronaut.
“Sophia is a hardworking, compassionate and intelligent student who serves as a model for all students at Foothill High School,” Foothill Principal Jason Krolikowski said. “I hold Sophia in the highest regard for her maturity and ability to relate to others in a responsible, adult manner. She is devoted and committed to her work with and excellent work ethic. She exemplifies the Six Pillars of Character by being her toughest critic and a willingness to always get better.”
“Sophia is one of the best examples of a student-athlete I have encountered in my 20 years of teaching and coaching, added Foothill Athletic Director Dustin Collins. “She is an outstanding classmate and teammate who has shown her peers what it takes to be a true leader.”
CIF Executive Director Roger Blake pretty much sums it up when it comes to these amazing student-athletes.
“The students of California and our CIF scholar-athletes continue to confirm for all of us involved in education-based athletics that the future is bright,” Blake said. “There were an exceptional group of nominees this year and I want to congratulate all of them. I also want to recognize Farmers Insurance, who without their generosity and support of CIF education-based athletics and the Scholar-Athlete Scholarship program, California schools and students would not be able to reach the high level of success that exemplifies the best of California.”
2016 CIF/Farmers Scholar-Athlete Section Winners
Central Section
Zachary Acenio, Monache-Porterville
Ashton Peckinpah, Redwood-Visalia
Central Coast Section
James Kelbert, Leland-San Jose
Carina Burdick, Los Altos
Los Angeles City Section
Luis Palmero Marquez, Los Angeles Academy of Arts & Enterprise
Delaney Arth, Palisades-Pacific Palisades
North Coast Section
Alexander Kelly, Acalanes-Lafayette
Hannah Flynn, Middletown
Northern Section
Ben Harper, Trinity-Weaverville
Megan Gallion, Fall River-McArthur
Oakland Section
Zachary Katzman, Skyline
Susana Alcata, Castlemont
Sac-Joaquin Section
Brody Pearman, Union Mine-El Dorado
Anna Medema, Mariposa County-Mariposa
San Diego Section
Cameron Burnett, Francis Parker-San Diego
Porter Verfurth, Westview-San Diego
San Francisco Section
Thomas White, Lowell
Kristen Leung, Lowell
Southern Section
Kyle Trieu, Walnut
Lindsay Masukawa, Cypress
