Local graduate receives national scholarship
Jacqueline Roman, a graduate of Coshocton High School, received the national Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation scholarship. She is pictured here with Myrtle Beall, who Roman chose to receive the Educator with Distinction Award.
COSHOCTON – Jacqueline Roman, a graduate of Coshocton High School, has been heavily involved in her school and community during her high school career, and recently received the National Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation Award. Roman competed against more than 102,000 other applicants, and after narrowing the applicants down to only 250, Roman was awarded the scholarship after a Skype interview with Coca-Cola Foundation representatives.
“I like helping,” said Roman. “I kept getting involved in things and it just grew. It was never about winning a scholarship. I appreciate the education and am thankful that I can be educated. It’s fun to give back.”
To say that Roman has been involved in her community and the world around her would be an understatement. She has not only been in leadership positions in seven activities in her school, but last summer, she helped to build a school in Ecuador. She also holds several part-time jobs and works at the museum.
Not only did Roman receive the $20,000 scholarship, but she was able to choose a teacher who had been instrumental in her education to receive an award. She chose Mrs. Myrtle Beall, who also wrote a recommendation for Roman to receive the scholarship during the semi-finalist round.
“There are a lot of good teachers in this school,” said Roman. “But Mrs. Beall has helped me out the most. She doesn’t praise kids on their talent, she praises them on their work ethic. If she hadn’t done that, I didn’t think I could make it on my talent alone.”
Beall was awarded the Educator with Distinction Award, which featured a life-sized Coca-Cola bottle made of glass. Beall commented it’s almost like carrying around an Emmy.
“It was an extreme shock,” said Beall. “I had no idea there was a tie-in with me receiving an award. I was very humbled by it. Jacqueline is right, there are a lot of great educators here at Coshocton High School, and to sort of be placed above that is very humbling.”
Roman will be attending The Ohio State University to double major in computer science and design. Her original goal was to attend UCLA and she started looking into scholarships and spent most of her spare time writing essays. She said that for every scholarship she was awarded, five rejected her application, but that didn’t keep her from trying again.
“I want other kids to know that there is nothing I did here at Coshocton that you are not capable of,” said Roman. “You just need to work hard. Work is the key to all of your success, but you also need to expect some rejection.”
As for Beall, she is sad to see Roman leave Coshocton High School, but knows that her future is very bright.
“She’s been with me four years and I know her pretty well,” said Beall. “She’s a great young woman, very courteous, extremely polite, and very kind to her peers. She doesn’t look down on anybody or walk around with her nose in the air because she’s gifted. I think anyone who works as hard as she’s worked deserves what she’s received.”
Roman is very grateful to Beall and to all of those people in her life who have helped her along the way.
“I’d like to thank my parents, siblings, friends, teachers, and anyone who’s been kind to me,” said Roman. “I always remember the small things people say to me, and that’s really helped me a lot.”
beth@coshoctoncountybeacon.com
Category: Education
Way to go, Jacqueline! 🙂