Media Release: Announcing the 2013 Quinn Prize Recipients

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation announced its recipients of the Matthew J. Quinn Prize and the Matthew J. Quinn Youth Leadership Award, Yasmine Arrington and Eva Albalghiti, respectively. Both are Foundation Scholars who are recognized for outstanding achievement in community service.

The Matthew J. Quinn Prize, a $10,000 award, is given to Jack Kent Cooke Scholars or alumni in the Foundation’s higher education programs, and the Matthew J. Quinn Youth Leadership Award, a $5,000 prize, is given to current Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars. The awards honor the Foundation’s first executive director, Dr. Matthew J. Quinn, who served from 2000 to 2010.

“Jack Kent Cooke Scholars are known for their passion for giving back to society,” said Lawrence Kutner, Ph.D., executive director of the Foundation. “These two young women are great examples.”

Yasmine Arrington of Washington, DC attends Elon University in North Carolina. She is the founder of ScholarCHIPS, which provides college scholarships to graduating high school seniors with a parent in prison. To date, ScholarCHIPS has awarded eight scholarships totaling $11,000. Yasmine has been recognized as an AXA National Achiever, an Abramson Foundation Scholar, a Washington Redskins College Success Foundation Leadership 1000 Scholar, a 2012 BET Black Girls Rock M.A.D. (Making a Difference) Girl, and a Linowes Leadership “Unsung Heroes Award” Youth Recipient.

Eva Albalghiti of Silver Spring, MD is a 2008 Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholar and a 2013 College Scholar who will attend Yale University in the fall. She is recognized for her creation of the Learning and Enrichment for Adolescents Program (LEAP) at her high school.LEAP’s first project was a “Homework Help” service that gave elementary and middle school students access to free tutoring from high school students. Eva has received both the Intel STS Research Report Badge and the Chatham College Book Award.

Congratulations to Yasmine and Eva!  We look forward to honoring you at the Scholars Banquet on Friday!