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Two Downtown Doral Charter Upper School seniors have earned national recognition from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, one of the nation’s most prestigious scholarship programs, which provides
Maria Alfonzo has been named a Cooke College Scholarship Finalist, and Sofia Garcia was selected as a Semifinalist. These honors build upon a remarkable year for DDCUS, including the school’s first-ever Ivy League admission, Cristhian
Maria Alfonzo: Finalist
Downtown Doral Charter Upper School (DDCUS) senior Maria Alfonzo has been named a finalist for the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship, recognizing her years of academic achievement and dedication.
Maria has been named a Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholar since 7th grade and has earned numerous distinctions, including AP Scholar with Honors, Florida’s Superintendent’s Diploma of Distinction, the Florida Seal of Biliteracy, the Florida Seal of Fine Arts, and Spain’s Título de Graduado en Educación Secundaria Obligatoria. Her academic interests in psychology and neuroscience have led her to conduct research at Charleston College’s Summer Liberal Arts Institute, participate in Vanderbilt University’s Hacking on the Human Brain Mentor Immersion, and earned third place in Miami-Dade’s SECME Competition for a science outreach video.
Outside of the classroom, Maria has completed more than 900 community service hours and founded and hosts Legacy Tales, a podcast that promotes intergenerational storytelling and civic engagement. As a founding member of the Active Minds Advisory Board for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, she also leads mental health discussions with 250 scholars nationwide.
Maria plans to pursue a career in psychiatry, using her academic training and compassion to support vulnerable communities.
Sofia Garcia: Semifinalist
Downtown Doral Charter Upper School (DDCUS) senior Sofia has been named a semifinalist for the Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship, placing her among the nation’s top students selected from thousands of applicants.
Born in Venezuela, Sofia immigrated to the United States at age nine and used the challenge of learning English and adapting to a new environment as motivation to excel academically. She has earned a 5.053 weighted GPA while completing rigorous coursework in the Spanish Dual Language, IB MYP, IB DP, AP, and Dual Enrollment programs.
Sofia is also a dedicated leader, who serves as the president of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and captain of the Doral Soccer Club team. She has also worked for the Miami Open and completed Harvard University’s renowned Justice course.
Sofia plans to pursue a career in law, with the goal of advocating for immigrant communities and uplifting families whose experiences mirror her own.
