by Geoff Fox
A Hancock High School junior was recently named a 2026 Carson Scholar.
Maya Shoemaker was awarded the prestigious honor of the Carson Scholarship that comes with a $1,000 scholarship to be invested toward her future college education, along with aa decorative medal and certificate of achievement.
To be considered for the Carson Scholarship Fund, students must maintain a minimum 3.75 GPS and demonstrate outstanding energy through humanitarian qualities and community service.
Shoemaker will be recognized at the 30th Annual Maryland Carson Scholars Awards Banquet on Sunday, May 17.
“We are incredibly proud to see Maya Shoemaker recognized,” said Principal Jennifer Ruppenthal. “She is an outstanding, hardworking young lady.”
The Carson Scholars Fund, Inc. was founded in 1994 to address the education crisis in the United States after now retired world renowned Johns Hopkins Pediatric Neurosurgeon Benjamin S. Carson, M.D. and his wife, Candy, read a research study about education in the US and were alarmed by the findings.
In 1996, the first year the scholarships were awarded, 25 deserving students were recognized as scholars and through the generosity of donors and partners, the scholarship fund is now able to award more than 500 scholarships annually.
In total, more that 12,000 scholarships have been awarded across the country with more than 5,600 Carson Scholars having been recognized for their academic and humanitarian achievements in multiple years.
