Cook Family Foundation Co-Executive Director Tom Cook (right) and University of Michigan’s Alicia Marting (left) stand with scholarship winners (left to right) Jack Challender, Truman Danek, and Emily Rathka. Photo Credit: David Lorne Photographic
The Cook Family Foundation held their annual University of Michigan Scholarship Recipients celebration on Tuesday, May 13th at the Lebowsky Center in Owosso. Over 150 family, friends, school representatives, past scholarship recipients, and other supporters attended the event to acknowledge the area’s best and brightest.
“Fifty-one students, from ten high schools in the Shiawassee County area, are being recognized tonight for the scholarships they have earned to attend the University of Michigan,” said Cook Family Foundation President, Paul Cook at the event. “This year, the scholarships awarded by the Foundation, the University of Michigan, and others totaled over $726,652.00. With these awards, the Foundation will have helped more than 1,000 students attend the University of Michigan’s Flint, Dearborn, and Ann Arbor campuses.”
Continuing to highlight these outstanding students, Tom Cook, Co-Executive Director of the Cook Family Foundation shared, “Of the students being celebrated tonight, seven are class valedictorians and four are salutatorians, and most are among the top ten in their class. As a group, these students also represent class presidents, National Honor Society members, student council officers, team captains, and leaders of other student groups. Thirteen students were recognized as Shiawassee Scholars in eighth grade. We are proud of their efforts and look forward to seeing what their futures hold.”
Emily Rathka – the Bruce and Jackie Cook Scholarship winner with Tom Cook. Photo Credit: David Lorne Photographic.
Emily Rathka of Laingsburg High School was awarded the Bruce and Jacqueline Cook Scholarship, one of the highest accolades in the greater Shiawassee County region. This scholarship, recently endowed after the passing of Bruce and Jacqueline Cook, provides four years of undergraduate tuition to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, with a value in excess of $70,000.
Emily is the daughter of Dan and Kate Rathka and is the valedictorian of her class – taking all of the AP courses available to her. She is the president of the Young Women’s Club at her church, as well as the FFA Greenhand Team. Emily was the captain of her cross-country team, ran track and field, was a marching band color guard member and flutist, worked as a program counselor at the MSU Gifted and Talented Education summer camp, and also taught piano lessons – all while being dually enrolled at Lansing Community College. Emily is enrolled in UM-Ann Arbor’s School of Nursing with plans to earn a BSN, with a minor in Global Health (while working as a medical assistant). Her long-term goal is to earn a Master’s or Doctorate to become a nurse practitioner to work in international health in foreign and/or war torn countries.
In addition to Rathka, the evening’s additional honorees received funding ranging from $3,000 to $20,000.
In recognition of the Foundation’s original benefactor, the Donald Cook Scholarship was awarded to two students this year: Jack Challender of Corunna High School and Truman Danek of Chesaning High School. The Donald Cook Scholarship, endowed by the Cook Family Foundation, is awarded by the University of Michigan to a student attending the College of Literature, Science, & the Arts and is worth $20,000. Donald Cook was a 1924 graduate of the University of Michigan who established the Foundation with his wife Florence-etta in 1978.
Jack Challender, of Corunna High School, is the valedictorian of his class and a Shiawassee Scholar. He is the son of Timothy and the late Lori Challender. Jack has served as vice-president of the National Honor Society, a Cavalier Ambassador, and a student council member – all while participating in band and golf. He plans to study Political Science and, perhaps, continue on to pursue a law degree.
Truman Danek, of Chesaning Union High School, is the son of Jason and Amy Danek. He is graduating with highest honors at the top of his class. Truman was the captain of his track and field team, achieving Academic All-State honors in 2024. He also played soccer. Truman plans to study Psychology and, perhaps one day, receive a doctorate in that field.
In addition to the three students mentioned above, other recipients included, from Byron Area High School: Zerik Crawford, Emma Davis, Ryleigh Irwin (UM-Flint Early College), and Hannah Volkening; from Chesaning Union High School: Jeffrey Luce, Joslyn McGough, and Skylar Wissinger; from Corunna High School: Logan Fox, Paul Galesk, Stori Jenkins, Aidan Lavery, Noah Mckinney and Dayne Zeeman; from Durand Area High School: Connor Burke, Malerie Freese, Madeline Frelich (2024 Graduate), Timothy Halleaux, Elisha Lee, Aidan Nazarian (2024 Graduate), Landen Schneider-Janes, Alison Walter, Andrew Weaver, and Sebestian Wells; from Laingsburg High School: Mirabella Carolan, Evelyn Logghe, and Lucas Shastal (UM-Flint Early College); from Morrice High School: Payton Chapko, Alexis Lademann, and Peyton Lamb; from New Lothrop High School: Rylee Elkins and Lieu Vincke (UM-Flint Early College; from Ovid-Elsie Area High School: Riley Clark; from Owosso High School: Charles Agnew, Zeriah Barnhill, Addison Collard, Owen Feldpausch, Allyson LaMay (2024 Graduate), Elizabeth McCroan, Nicholas McCurdy, Jordan Newman (UM-Flint Early College), Noah Norman (2023 Graduate), Matthew Shattuck, and Ayden Woodruff (UM-Flint Early College); and, from Perry High School: Spencer Griffith, Jocelyn Hessling, Caleb Knickerbocker, Annabelle Kue (2024 Graduate), and Jordyn Pangborn.
