Webb Scholars Program

KIPP Jacksonville Public Schools

Heaven Cottemond, a senior at KIPP Bold City High School in Jacksonville, is an aspiring orthodontist driven by a deep commitment to equity in healthcare. As president of the Student Government Association, she has organized school-wide initiatives including a campus blood drive. She also serves as a school ambassador and volleyball player. A family crisis during Heaven’s freshman year deepened her understanding of how access to support and opportunity can change the course of a life. She plans to pursue orthodontics with the goal of addressing the underrepresentation of Black women in the field and expanding access to quality dental care in underserved communities. Heaven plans to study biology at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.

KIPP Northern California Public Schools

Lizbeth Aya Leon, a senior at KIPP King Collegiate High School in San Lorenzo, California, plans to major in biology and pursue pediatric cancer research as a first-generation college student. Lizbeth interned at Stanford’s Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program, where she investigated CAR T-cell therapy for patients with recurrent glioblastoma in a Phase I clinical trial and presented her findings to researchers at a national conference. When an illness struck a family member during high school, she became a primary caretaker, earning top grades while balancing schoolwork with household responsibilities. She also leads her school’s Mental Health Club, creating a space where students across every grade can prioritize their well-being.

KIPP Jacksonville Public Schools 

Shazijyah Murray, a senior at KIPP Bold City High School in Jacksonville, is an aspiring pediatrician already making a difference for low-income families. As president of her school’s chapter of Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), she launched Healthy Greyhound Pups: Kids’ Wellness Zone, a community initiative bringing movement activities, nutrition education, and wellness resources to local families. During a healthcare internship, she helped connect a struggling first-time mother with resources through UF Health and the Nurse Family Partnership program—support that helped the young mother welcome a healthy baby. Shazijyah will be the first in her family to attend college, and plans to attend the University of Central Florida where she plans to study nursing.

KIPP Northern California Public Schools

Katie Ngo, a senior at KIPP King Collegiate High School in San Lorenzo, California, is a teen entrepreneur honoring her Vietnamese refugee grandmother’s legacy. Inspired by her grandmother’s years of factory sewing work to support her family, Katie launched a secondhand clothing business focused on sustainable and affordable fashion. What began as a small idea has grown into more than 350 orders, over $7,000 in revenue, and an estimated 1,000 gallons of water saved. She also serves as Financial Director of the True Nature Environmental Restoration Foundation, supporting more than 75 restoration projects. Katie will study economics at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

KIPP Northern California Public Schools

Jessica Ngok, a senior at KIPP King Collegiate High School in San Lorenzo, California, is an emerging environmental scientist and the daughter of deaf parents, for whom she has served as a linguistic and cultural bridge her entire life. She also helps care for her grandparents at home. Her research journey has taken her from a Stanford biogeochemistry lab to the glaciers of Alaska, where she was selected as one of just eight students nationwide for a 14-day mountaineering and research expedition. A captain of her school’s varsity cross-country team, she has logged more than 1,000 community service hours across habitat restoration, medical supply distribution, and Asian American and Pacific Islander advocacy.

KIPP Northern California Public Schools

Jack Zhou, a senior at KIPP King Collegiate High School in San Lorenzo, California, is a student leader who carries significant responsibilities at home and at school. He serves as the primary caretaker for three younger siblings and acts as the linguistic bridge for his immigrant parents, all while maintaining a rigorous academic schedule. To help support his family, Jack taught piano and launched a small tutoring business, including free sessions for low-income learners that he meets with weekly. He also founded his school’s Science Olympiad club— recruiting members, preparing the team for competitions, and building a community that continues to grow. Jack plans to study engineering with the goal of advancing nanotechnology in medicine.