SAN ANTONIO – The school year is winding down, and as graduation season kicks into gear, KSAT is honoring exceptional students as a part of our Great Graduates series.
Among them is Providence Catholic School senior Kendall Cooper, who has made her mark in many different ways.
She won a $10,000 scholarship from the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) for her original business plan.
“So my plan was 86 pages when I finished it,” she said. “It was a farm-to-table store where I focused on bringing organic goods to my small town because I’m from Castroville.”
Her art teacher, Tess Martinez, shared her thoughts on the business plan.
“It is extremely professional and I’ve seen business plans before,” Martinez said. “The amount of detail that she put into it, the questions that she was asking, the information that she was researching. I know she’s going to be a leader at what she does.”
During her high school career, she became a Land Stewardship Ambassador for the Witte Museum.
According to the Witte Museum, the Land Stewardship Ambassador program aims to increase students’ awareness of land stewardship principles, showcase careers in related fields and promote civic engagement.
Cooper was one of 15 students selected from Bexar County to complete 10 sessions from November to May. Students who complete the program receive a stipend.
Cooper told KSAT more about the program. She said the Witte gave her free books to read, and every week she needed to complete a 200-word essay from various prompts.
Given how much she enjoyed the program, it’s not too surprising that she said she wanted to become an environmental scientist after graduation.
“That really taught me so much and I realized, ‘Oh, this is what I want to do forever,’” Cooper said. “I love being outside and caring for nature.”
Cooper is headed to Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi for their environmental science program.
She shared her thoughts on what she’ll take with her from Providence.
“I think the confidence to go out there and advocate for myself. It’s something that everyone is always kind of teaching me to do.”