Caroline Schumpert Honored with Regional Bryant Jordan Achievement Award
PCA senior Caroline Schumpert was recently honored to receive the regional scholarship for the Bryant Jordan Achievement Award, selected from high school seniors across Alabama for her outstanding perseverance in the face of adversity.
Each year, the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame comes together with the Alabama High School Athletic Association to grant a determined high school senior of excellent athletic and academic standing despite obstacles the Bryant-Jordan Achievement Award. For the class of 2022, PCA is proud to have nominated Caroline Schumpert for the competition! The factors included in the selection were grade point average, class rank, college test scores, sports and athletic honors, student leadership, and school and community involvement. However, Schumpert’s perseverance to achieve excellence in these categories despite her hearing difficulties is what made her the perfect candidate.
Just three days after her adoption from China, Schumpert’s family discovered that she was deaf and needed bilateral cochlear implants. From there, she began tackling the challenges presented by therapy and schooling as she learned how to hear, read, and communicate. According to Schumpert, “Being deaf is not easy and still comes with its challenges… Some things that come easy to others I have to work even harder to accomplish. Perseverance was instilled in me from a young age, so I have learned to push and work hard in everything I do.”
Schumpert has been a PCA student for eight years, and although her hearing often makes learning or playing sports difficult, she constantly devotes herself to her engagements and never gives up. “Even with its challenges,” Schumpert states, “I would not change having a disability because it has taught me the importance of respect for others’ visible and invisible struggles, hard work, and perseverance…. The obstacles I have faced have given me a passion for advocating for the voiceless.”
When prompted about Schumpert’s nomination, PCA’s Athletic Director, Tara Osborne, remarked that both Schumpert’s academic success and inherent perseverance instantly made her stand out as the perfect fit for the award. Osborne admires how steadfast and caring Schumpert is in all aspects of her life, saying, “Caroline is never scared to stand up for what is right and she doesn’t try to ‘fit in’ with the crowd. She stands firm in her faith and does not waiver from that…. Also, she has a heart for all, so I have sat back and watched her always try to include the person who is ‘left out.’ She definitely is someone with her welcoming arms wide open.”
Schumpert recounts that “It was an honor to be nominated for such a prestigious award, and even more of a blessing to receive the regional scholarship!” She is proud to have this “opportunity to continue sharing [her] story with others going through similar journeys,” and she plans to use the money to help her study in the medical field debt-free.
This fall, Schumpert will be attending either Samford University or Mississippi College, where she is planning to become a pre-med major with a psychology minor to pursue her dream of working in pediatric psychiatry. She hopes to use her experiences to “be a part of people’s healing as they navigate through their challenges.” The faculty, staff, and students at PCA are proud to have fostered Schumpert’s growth through the years, and it will be exciting to see what she accomplishes in the future as her dedication continues to shape her into the best version of herself.
By: Maddie Jeffery ’22
Journalism Student
