On the heels of a warm (despite a chaotic weather forecast) Boarding Student Revisit Day, we welcome two new Pioneers to Western Reserve Academy. April Lincoln of Milford Center, Ohio has won the Written in the Stars Scholarship Contest, earning a full, four-year scholarship for her entry to the scholarship contest. Written in the Stars tasked applicants with submitting a project that examines the intersection of science and art. April crafted “Universe in a Box,” an immersive art display, incorporating projection, a shadow box, refracted light, archived photographs from the Hubble telescope, a video she spliced together, and more in an effort to immerse the viewer in outer space. But perhaps nothing could be more dynamic than April herself. When asked what she is involved in, the short answer was everything.
“I’m very involved in the community. I volunteer at the library and our local hospital and work with our school women’s empowerment group. It’s nice to know that I’m giving back and making a difference,” April said. “I also helped start the school newspaper, the Panther Press.” April shared that the team brainstormed names and her idea, the Paw Press eventually gave way to the newly named paper. But the list continues as April’s entire family shared her endless interests — soccer, cheer, saxophone, Power of the Pen (in which she recently placed 4th in the region and is headed to states), National Junior Honor Society (where she serves as president), drama club (at the high school level since there’s not one in her middle school), archery and more.
Born in Uganda by the name April Breanna Lincoln, April’s mom Robinah shared that it was difficult for the family to pronounce the ‘A’ of her given name. As a result, April has gone by her middle name Breanna for most of her life. But when April’s older sister shared the Written in the Stars scholarship contest after hearing about the opportunity from a friend, April decided to enter using her given name perhaps as a symbolic nod to her history and glimpse into the self discovery to come at Western Reserve Academy. “I want people to know my name,” April said. “I want to make a difference.”
Despite being a bit nervous about attending a boarding school after growing up in rural Ohio, April is excited to meet new people and immerse herself in different cultures. “Our community is predominantly white,” April’s dad Jeffrey shared. WRA will more appropriately reflect his daughter’s identity. And how fortunate for both Reserve and the community of Hudson to welcome such a captivating new member (reader, music lover, artist, learner, joiner, etc., etc. etc.) into our community. And, as April’s 8-year-old brother Charlie enlightened the group to the wonders of black holes and red giants, perhaps additional Lincolns will set their sights on Reserve in the years to come.
Kendel Barber of Negley, Ohio is the recipient of the Ohio Pioneer Scholarship, earning him a full scholarship to our school as both he and April enter Grade 9. Though this scholarship does not have a separate application process, it is always bestowed to an Ohio resident and boarding applicant of incredible promise.
Our Ohio Pioneer fits this to a tee. It’s easy to talk to Kendel; he is as friendly as he is enthusiastic about all that interests him, and just about everything interests him! He is a mathematics fanatic (and credits his phenomenal teachers for igniting this spark), a baseball athlete, a member of his Robotics Club, a yearbook and newspaper staff member, a tenor in his school choir, a proud community volunteer on behalf of his Interact Club, and even found time to run for office for Eighth Grade Class President — and won.
“There’s not much that I don’t like,” he admitted. “My favorite subject is math — but everything else is all kind of tied for second place. I love choir, and I’ve been there since sixth grade. I wasn’t even supposed to be in that class, actually! I went to the wrong room, and I just decided to stay there.”
Kendel was drawn to WRA after participating in the 2023 Young Scholars program, a fully funded, interdisciplinary, intensive two-week residential experience offered to Ohio middle schoolers. His seventh grade math teacher, Mr. Kidd, introduced him to the opportunity, and Kendel brought enthusiasm, spirit and scholarship to the summer program, which explored “The Vietnam War: Humbling of a Superpower.” By the end of the experience, he had earned the Young Scholars Award from Social Science Department faculty member Diccon Ong, who leads the program.
During the admission process, Kendel learned even more about the WRA community, and all that he discovered drew him even closer to the school and its welcoming community.
“It’s just so… cozy here!” he laughed. “That’s probably not the right word. But everyone you meet, everywhere you go, is just so accepting and kind. I don’t think I’ve met a single person who hasn’t been really uplifting and caring.”
On Revisit Day, Kendel explored campus further, paying visits to different classes — jumping in with the choir in Ms. Karam’s class and leaving the Wang Innovation Center with customized water bottles and t-shirts. Before he left, he stopped by President’s House, home to our Admission Office, all of whom helped guide him through his admission journey and welcomed him with congratulations and excitement.
“I’m just really thankful that I get to have an opportunity like this,” he shared. “This is really a once-in-a-lifetime kind of opportunity. Every step of the way, this whole process has been really great. I think it’s really going to change my life.”
To both of our scholarship recipients, we can only echo this gratitude. How lucky we are to have such bright stars join our community. Congratulations, April and Kendel! Welcome to Reserve.