Foundation Works to Increase Access to Education

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Owosso High School was one of 14 schools to receive donated menstrual products. From left to right, Kerry Dutcher and Bailey Leppert from the Cook Family Foundation and Jessica Thompson, Karen Van Epps, and Steve Irelan of the Owosso Public Schools

The Cook Family Foundation has donated over $2,900 worth of menstrual products to 14 area schools to help local female students. After learning of the need for these products at Owosso High School, Anna Owens, Kerry Dutcher, and Bailey Leppert of the Foundation reached out to other local schools to find out if they also needed donations of menstrual products and received a resounding yes from many schools.

Research shows this is a national problem. Nearly a quarter of students struggle to afford menstrual products in the US, according to a study from 2021, and more than half have worn menstrual products for longer than recommended. Girls often stay home from school if they do not have access to the menstrual products that they need, losing valuable classroom instruction time and creating a sense of isolation from their peers.

The Cook Family Foundation donated menstrual products to 14 schools, including Owosso High School and Middle School, Lincoln High School, Central, Bryant, and Emerson Elementary Schools, Chesaning High School and Middle School, Durand High School and Middle School, Ovid-Elsie High School and Middle School, and Morrice High School and Middle School. “We hope these products can help students feel comfortable to stay at school during their periods and know that others in the community care about them and want to provide them the tools for their success,” said Leppert. “Supporting students by supplying menstrual products is one way we can work towards our mission of a healthy community where all children have access to the best education.”

“We hope our donation will encourage other organizations, civic groups, and businesses to make donations to our schools” said Anna Owens.  “Students need support, in terms of school supplies, winter clothes, and even food, as well as personal care items.  We thank all those who have helped students succeed; we can all do our part.”

Bruce and Jacqueline Cook Scholarship Nominees Announced

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Thirty-four of the most academically accomplished high school seniors from all ten high schools in the Shiawassee County area recently made a trip to Ann Arbor. (See below for the full listing of all forty-nine nominees, including those nominees unable to attend the trip.)  Photo Credit: Michael D-L Jordan/David Lorne Photographic

 

 

Forty-nine of Shiawassee County region’s most academically accomplished high school seniors have been nominated for scholarships to the University of Michigan by the Cook Family Foundation.  One of these students will be selected to receive a four-year, full-tuition, scholarship from the Bruce and Jacqueline Cook Scholarship administered by the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

In order to assist them with their college selection, thirty-four of the nominees recently attended an overnight trip to the University of Michigan. There they had the opportunity to meet with admission officers, to take a tour of the campus and stadium, to choose and attend an actual UM class, and to spend time with students from the Shiawassee County area presently enrolled at the University of Michigan.

“We want to make sure the leaders and the best among local high school students seriously consider the University of Michigan for the next level of education, and decide if it is a good fit for them,” said Foundation Executive Director, Tom Cook.  “We are committed to the academic success of local students, and are committed to building partnerships with our public schools and our oldest public university.”

Each of the nominees will receive at least a $3,000 scholarship to the University of Michigan from the Cook Family Foundation.  The Cook Family Foundation annually provides a scholarship to any student from the greater Shiawassee region admitted to the University of Michigan.  

If they apply and are admitted to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, the following students will be considered for the Bruce and Jacqueline Cook scholarship: from Byron: Thomas Harris, Haydn McDonnell, Taylor Muzer, Alana Riddell, and Mason Stark; from Chesaning: Mackenzie Hall, Haylee Luft, Phoebe Malak, Alexandra Moore, and Hannah Oakes; from Corunna:  Braden Andrejack, Eli Dingens, Jorja Napier, Jude Suchyta, and Logan Vowell, and Joshua Zuckschwerdt; from Durand:  Madeline Bias, Isabelle Cooper, Noah Fryer, Kwin Knapp, Paige McPherson, Haley Munson, and Raegan Taylor; from Laingsburg:  Cameron Ballard, Kendall Danbrook, Kaitlyn Kingsbury, Jaylei Kramer, and Piper (PJ) Seguin; from Morrice:  Aubrey Rogers and Ella Wyzga; from New Lothrop:  Liliana Bruff, Sara Dammann, Maryn Kisser, Jaedyn Kline, and Colton Symons; from Ovid-Elsie: Jamison Custer, Emma Holley, Jacob Kast, Rian Kirby, Mason Ritenburg, Rachel Sptzley, and Carson Wertz; from Owosso:  Elijah Morgan, Quinn Skarich, Camden Yerrick; and from Perry:  Calena Stevens and Brody Webb.

This is the nineteenth year of the Bruce and Jacqueline Cook scholarship, which is funded entirely by its namesakes’ endowment.  Past recipients of the Bruce and Jackie Cook Scholarship have included:  Emily Smith from Chesaning in 2023, Dillan Morell from New Lothrop in 2022, Elizabeth Tolrud from Owosso in 2021, Mason Collard from Owosso and Kyah Ribble from Perry in 2020, Autumn Zwiernik from Laingsburg in 2019, Tyson Moore from Corunna in 2018, Elizabeth Hoornstra from Chesaning in 2017, Mitchell Lawrence from Byron in 2016, Nick Miller from Laingsburg in 2015, Nolan Wendling from New Lothrop in 2014, Emily Feuka from Perry in 2013, Sam Whaley from Perry in 2012, Adam Stewart from Laingsburg in 2011, Valerie Micol from Byron in 2010, Adam Dingens from Corunna in 2009, Randy Piper from Owosso in 2008, Dan Frechtling from Perry in 2007 and Kendra Frye from Owosso in 2006.

In addition to scholarships to help students attend the University of MIchigan in Ann Arbor, the Foundation funds The University of Michigan Shiawassee Advantage.  Any graduating senior with a GPA of 3.5 or higher from any of the ten high schools in the greater Shiawassee region will receive a $3,000 Cook Family Foundation Scholarship if they enroll at any one of the three University of Michigan campuses (Ann Arbor, Dearborn or Flint).  Additionally, these students will then become eligible for many of the substantial U of M merit-based scholarships, as well as the last-dollar, full-tuition Go Blue Guarantee if they have demonstrated financial need.

For assistance applying to UM, or for more information on scholarships, contact the Foundation.

Doing more in ’24

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Foundation Trustees Bruce and Jaqueline Cook have left a significant legacy to the Cook Family Foundation.
Photo Credit: DLP Photographic

We have lost two of our leaders.  In May of this year our matriarch, Jackie Cook, passed away.  This added to the sadness of the death of Bruce Cook last October.  The Cook Family Foundation is committed to continuing the philanthropic legacy of these two former Trustees.  Prior to his passing, Bruce helped lead the Foundation in planning for its future. Personally, he made estate plans to continue the work started by his parents.  Go to our “About” page HERE and you can read more about the Foundation’s history and see a video in which Bruce Cook explains his philanthropic motivations.

You can read the obituary of Bruce HERE and Jaqueline HERE.

Thanks to the foresight and generosity of several family members, the Cook Family Foundation’s endowment will more than double in size in 2024. Taking this significant step forward requires reflection on the Foundation’s history and legacy, deliberation over future opportunities, and planning for effective grant-making.  To create space for this work, the Foundation is making no new grants in 2023. The Foundation will still award scholarships to the three campuses of the University of Michigan, its Nonprofit Capacity Building Program continues, and other previous commitments will be honored.

Going forward, the Foundation will build on its history of grant-making in education, environment, the arts, public health, and community development. New areas of grant-making are being explored as well. We seek the input and ideas of those we work with. In all that we do, we will be guided by our three values of Integrity, Inclusiveness, and Impact.  We know we cannot achieve any of our goals without partners, and we know we have our greatest impact when we collaborate in our grant-making. 

Follow this webpage for updates on our work as we plan to do more in 2024.