Lucas Jarrett will be the second Encampment School senior to go to Michigan State University on a full-ride scholarship through the STARR Charitable Foundation.
The scholarship fund itself was set up by a private donor, and is only available to high school graduates from Wyoming and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The application process is “extremely competitive” and only a few graduates are selected each year, Jarrett’s mother Stacey Jarrett said.
“I couldn’t be happier with how this turned out, and I am just extremely thankful for everyone who has helped me along, and everything that has got me to this point,” Jarrett said.
Cassie Orduno was the last Encampment High School graduate to get the scholarship before Jarrett.
Going to college was always part of Jarrett’s plan, he said.
“My family has always stressed that as being an important thing to do, as well as my teachers,” he said. “From the time I have been in junior high, I have known I wanted to be in college.”
Jarrett said he always wanted to attend an out-of-state college, he said.
“I wanted to go somewhere where I could have a brand new experience, and be surrounded by something I wasn’t familiar with.”
However, Jarrett felt like the University of Wyoming would be his best financial option.
“I always wanted to go out of state for college, but I didn’t think I would be able to,” he said. “I mean, Wyoming has the Hathaway program, which pays for a good portion of your schooling. I didn’t think I would be able to pass that up.”
In September, Jarrett received a letter in the mail talking about the scholarship with instructions how to apply.
Without thinking about it, Jarrett wrote four essays. One was about his leadership experience, one was about his thoughts on learning, and one was about his moral standing. The last was about talents he had – communication and public speaking.
After completing the essays, he mailed them, along with a resume and three letters of recommendation Oct 31.
“I felt this was going to be an opportunity for me to go out of state, so I applied,” he said. “I certainly didn’t expect to get this. I just put it in the back of my mind until I got the call.”
That call, asking for a good time for an interview, came March 9.
Jarrett started preparing for the interview immediately, he said.
“I definitely freaked out about it when I heard I was going to be interviewed,” he said. But when he arrived at the interview in Jackson, the interview process was not as strenuous as he thought.
“They just wanted to know a little bit more about me, so it really wasn’t that hard,” he said.
Jarrett got the call reporting that he got the scholarship March 18.
The full-ride scholarship will pay for Jarrett’s tuition, books, room and board, and a semester abroad, plus some spending money.
Jarrett said he is going into a communications program to start, but may want to change his major later.
“I am incredibly proud of Lucas,” his mother said. “He has worked very hard throughout his high school career and maintained his priorities. … As his parents, this is our dream come true for him.”
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