GOOD NEWS: LEAP Academy High School Senior Maya Goodwin, Clinches 1,000 Points
Wednesday, March 31, 2021
CAMDEN PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL CELEBRATES STUDENT-ATHLETE WHO HITS HISTORIC SPORTS MILESTONE DESPITE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
(CAMDEN CITY ) – Yesterday, LEAP Academy University Charter School, a high-performing public charter school in Camden, hosted a special celebration with students and faculty to recognize a standout student-athlete who just reached a 1,000-point milestone in her high school varsity basketball career, in spite of the obstacles created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The celebration marked the significant achievement as well as Goodwin’s broader accomplishments athletically and academically in a historically challenging time. Maya Goodwin, a high school senior at LEAP, became just the third student in the school’s history to achieve this milestone earlier this month during a condensed season due to the pandemic. Goodwin, a two-sport athlete who also plays softball, is also due to become the first athlete in the school’s history to clinch 100 hits in softball. She will attend Carnegie Mellon University this fall as a student-athlete with their softball program.
“Maya embodies the best of LEAP, excelling both academically and athletically,” said Dr. Gloria Bonilla-Santiago, Ph.D, Board Chair of the LEAP Academy University Charter School. “We are so proud to have seen her grow over these past four years at LEAP and are confident that she is bound for success in all her endeavors in college and beyond.”
“We’ve always known Maya was destined for great things and this milestone is a testament to her perseverance and ambition to be the absolute best that she can be,” said Stephanie Aspenburg, LEAP Academy’s Girls Varsity Basketball Coach. “It’s been an honor to coach her over these past few years and while it’ll be bittersweet when she graduates, she’s secured her spot in our school’s history books.”
Outside of athletics, Goodwin has also excelled academically while at LEAP Academy, amassing over two dozen early college credits through the Rutgers High School Scholars Dual-Enrollment Program and the LEAP Early College Program. Among the top 20 in her graduating class, Goodwin is a member of the Alfredo Santiago Endowment Fund Scholarship Society and holds a 3.9 cumulative GPA. She hopes to study biology and pre-medicine in college.
***Photos of Maya and of the event can be found here.***
About LEAP Academy University School
LEAP Academy University Charter School (LEAP) serves students – from infancy to grade 12 – in Camden, NJ. LEAP provides a college preparatory education with an academic focus on the STEM/STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Technology) content areas. The instructional program is anchored in multi-disciplinary collaborations and supported by opportunities for students to engage in active, integrated and self-directed learning across grade levels. LEAP’s educational philosophy has maintained a sharp focus on ensuring college preparation and completion for African American and Latino students while addressing the persistent challenge of bridging the achievement gap that keeps too many African Americans and Latinos from successfully completing college degrees. Through a strategic partnership with Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey – Camden Campus, services and support for the school is channeled through school based Centers of Excellence that provide educational, health, professional development, parent development and innovative academic programs for families, students and staff.