Cook Family Foundation

The performing arts center at Marshall High School, designed by the same team as working on the Owosso Schools project

The Cook Family Foundation is proud to announce a $1.1 million commitment to the Owosso Public Schools for the completion of an auditorium in the new Owosso High School/Middle School building. “We believe we are at our best as a community when we come together to accomplish big tasks,” said Tom Cook, the Foundation’s Executive Director.  “When I think back over the last 25 years, I can think of no greater collaboration and no more important achievement than the passage of the Owosso Public Schools bond proposal on November 7, 2017.”

That bond measure provides funding for a multi-purpose performance space.  The grant from the Cook Family Foundation will fund enhancements to create a true auditorium for theatrical performances as well as band and choral concerts.

The enhancements include theater rigging and arbor pit, theatrical drapery and orchestra shell, lighting and audio visual equipment, and an orchestra pit with cover. “We believe the arts are a central component of a quality education, and this auditorium will enable excellence in the performing arts in Owosso,” said Tom Cook.

“The arts develop well-rounded individuals who are creative thinkers, communicators, and problem solvers,” notes Andrea Tuttle, Superintendent of the Owosso Public Schools.  “With a true auditorium Owosso students will have daily accessibility to a space that will foster cross-curricular learning to develop communication, technology, and public speaking skills,” notes Tuttle.

The Cook Family Foundation has a long history with the Owosso Schools.  It’s benefactor, Donald Cook, graduated from Owosso High School in 1920, as have several other family members. Two trustees of the Foundation, Jacqueline Cook and Laurie Caszatt Cook, previously served on the Owosso School Board. Trustee Anna Owens currently serves on the Performing Arts Committee.

Previously, the Foundation has provided grants for implementation and teacher training for the International Baccalaureate Program, mini-grants for classrooms, and landscaping.  In addition, the Foundation has provided over 150 scholarships to Owosso High School graduates to attend the University of Michigan.

The $1.1 million grant is extraordinary funding above and beyond the Foundation’s usual grant-making, which last year totaled $719,000.  “We are committed to the Shiawassee County community,” said Tom Cook. “We have no plans to scale back our support for early childhood and other educational endeavors, our Nonprofit Capacity Building Program, or environmental efforts centered around the Shiawassee River and the Saginaw Bay Watershed.”

To learn more about the bond project, contact the Owosso Public Schools

Angela Miller, a member of the Owosso High School Class of 2013, recently graduated from the University of Michigan and delivered a student speech at Winter Commencement on December 17, 2017.  Angie majored in gender and health in the Women’s Studies Department at the College of Literature, Science and Arts and has plans to pursue graduate work in global health policy.

Angie was recognized as a Shiawassee Scholar in eighth grade and was supported by this program in her high school career.  She received a Cook Family Foundation scholarship in 2013 to help launch her career at the University of Michigan.  Her first year she took advantage of the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) and was able to learn about psychiatry first-hand by participating in a project entitled “Brain Activity During Emotional Processing and Regulation.”  This was the first of several positive research experiences at UM in psychology and public health.

Over spring break her first year she was able to travel to Peru on a medical volunteer mission trip.  She also got certifications from the US Agency for International Development. This led to further overseas work in Grenada, Nicaragua, and Tanzania.  In the US, she got clinical experience at two hospitals and worked with the Michigan Women’s Justice & Clemency Project, assisting battered women at the Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility.  She has also taken the time to mentor girls and young women about careers in science and healthcare.

Her achievements were not without struggles. In her commencement speech she noted that “we all have gone through difficult times at Michigan, but we all persevered and are much stronger, more confident, and resilient than when we started this journey.”  We are proud of her achievements.

When our community confronts its most difficult problems, we need all hands on deck.  Substance abuse has been a persistent problem in our community affecting those of all ages, income levels, and life situations.  If we hope to reduce the prevalence and impact of drugs in Shiawassee County, we need help from all quarters of the community. The causes of drug abuse are many, and thus a broad variety of solutions are needed.  Recently, dozens of organizations, agencies, and other partners have come together to form the Alliance for a Drug-Free Shiawassee.  On Saturday, November 4 from 8:30 a.m. to noon, many people are coming together in a community action planning effort.  They are inviting participation from all at the Owosso Free Methodist Church at 1249 N. Chipman St. in Owosso.

The Cook Family Foundation believes strongly in collaboration, and we support coordinated efforts to make a collective impact in Shiawassee County.  In our community we have several nonprofits working hard to achieve their mission.  We have government agencies with professionals committed to serving local residents.  And we have many caring people, some organized by civic commitment, family, and faith. All of these are assets.  None of them is sufficient to solve substance abuse.  Even if they had more grants or volunteers, none of them alone could eliminate the destructive presence of drugs.

None of us alone is as smart or as effective as all of us together. We need not only the contributions and efforts of many stakeholders, but we need a collective plan of action to make the best use of our resources.  Coming up with such a plan is the primary purpose of the November 4 gathering.  Those in attendance will address three questions:  1) What are the problems in our community?  2) What are the barriers that keep us from solving these problems?  3) What are your suggestions for solutions?

The Alliance for a Drug-Free Shiawassee is seeking to apply for a federal grant to have Shiawassee County be designated a Drug Free Community.  Such a designation would provide the community with up to $125,000 per year for 10 years to fight substance abuse.  The stipulations for such a grant application are demanding, and require clear evidence of community collaboration.  In order build the local capacity, Shiawassee Hope and several other partners (Catholic Charities, Taylor Life Center, DOT Caring Center, Recovery Pathways, First United Methodist Church, Redeemer Lutheran Church, Salvation Army, Owosso Public Schools, Corunna Public Schools, Shiawassee County Circuit Court, Shiawassee County Prosecutors Office, Shiawassee County Sheriff, Owosso Police Department, Department of Health and Human Services, Shiawassee County Health Department, Department of Health and Human Services, and State Police MAGNET) have come together to establish the Alliance for a Drug-Free Shiawassee.  The Cook Family Foundation, Memorial Healthcare, and Shiawassee County Community Mental Health have come together to fund the work of collaboration, community planning, and professional assistance in grant application.  For more information, contact Marlene Webster at Shiawassee Hope.

We would like to welcome you to the University of MIchigan

The University of Michigan has long done an outstanding job of providing financial aid to students from the Shiawassee region, and the Cook Family Foundation has extended its resources to help.  UM is committed to cover 100 percent of demonstrated financial need of in-state students through use of public grants, private scholarships, and the University’s own significant endowment.  The Cook Family Foundation helps by providing a scholarship to every student from 10 local high schools in the greater Shiawassee County area.

More info here http://goblueguarantee.umich.edu

This year, the University has expanded its financial aid commitment with the Go Blue Guarantee which promises four years of free tuition to students from families earning less than $65,000. Go to www.goblueguarantee.umich.edu for full details and qualifying information.  For students from families with more moderate incomes, the University provides grants, scholarships, and loans.  The Cook Family Foundation provides its scholarships without consideration of family income.  For many local students, UM is often the most affordable option for top quality higher education.

The Cook Family Foundation coordinates with the University of Michigan to ensure that students from the greater Shiawassee County region are able to attend this premier public university.  We work with students, parents, and counselors to help them with the admission process and financial aid.  Here is what some of these students say about us: click here to read testimonials 

If you are a top student, or know one, we would like to introduce you to the opportunities available at the University Michigan.  High school counselors would be happy to make an introduction and tell you more about working with us.  On our website, you can read our scholarship page, and review some Frequently Asked Questions.  At anytime in the process, feel free to give us a call, or send us an email.  Here is our contact info.  Also, follow us on Twitter @GoBlueGoBruce where we post lots of information about the University of Michigan and the admission process.

Nineteen top students from the Shiawassee region were awarded scholarships to the University of Michigan this year.  You can see the list of these new Wolverines, read about some special scholarship winners, and learn about the Shiawassee Scholars program in our most recent newsletter.  If you would like to be added to our mailing list, contact us.

Elizabeth Hoornstra, of Chesaning, with Bruce and Jacqueline Cook

Again, the Cook Family Foundation is providing a scholarship to every high school senior from the greater Shiawassee County region attending the University of Michigan.  This fall, 19 young men and women from nine area high schools will enroll at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

The future Wolverines were recognized at a dinner on May 8.  Special guest at the event was Andrew Martin, Dean of the College of Literature, Science and the Arts (LS&A) at the University of Michigan.  Noting the talented scholarship recipients, the Dean said that “all of the students we admit to the University of Michigan bring a unique combination of talent, goals, ambitions, personality and passion.”

At the dinner, Elizabeth Hoornstra, the valedictorian of Chesaning Union High School, was awarded the Bruce & Jacqueline Cook Scholarship.  This four-year, full tuition scholarship is funded separately from the Foundation by its namesakes.  Elizabeth is the daughter of John and Jennifer Hoornstra, and plans to pursue a major in the social sciences, public health, or some other field where she can “create a difference in someone’s life.”

Hunter Glew, of Corunna, and Andrew Martin, Dean of LS&A

Hunter Glew, the valedictorian of Corunna High School, is the recipient of the Donald Cook Scholarship.  She intends to pursue research at the University of Michigan and major in neuroscience or psychology.  She is the daughter of Matthew and Cynthia Glew.

The Donald Cook Scholarship is awarded by the University of Michigan to a student
attending the College of Literature, Science and the Arts.  It has been financially supported by the Cook Family Foundation in recognition of the Foundation’s founder.  In 2017, the Foundation entered a multi-year funding agreement to endow the scholarship in perpetuity at the University.

Of the 19 scholarship recipients, seven of them are valedictorians.  In addition to Hoornstra and Glew, the co-valedictorians of Owosso High School (Usman Kahn and Sarah Landes) and the valedictorians of Perry (Jessica Beattie), Byron (Jordan Goodrich), and Laingsburg (Paden Graham) were all admitted to the University of Michigan.

Other scholarship winners were, from Chesaning, Sarah Minnis, Noah Moeggenberg, and Riley Russel; from Corunna, Kaylynn Crawford and Charity Cummings; from New Lothrop, Lauryn Bishop, Brayden Bitterman, Matthew Mignault, and Tyler Ruddy; from Owosso, Dalton Brown; and from Perry, Bradley Cronk and Destiny Crusan.

For more information on the Foundation’s scholarships, visit this page.