For girl caddy, family's college dreams finally 'in the bag'

Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart's latest Evans Scholar, Katelynn Soto, has some simple advice for girls considering the male-dominated world of golf caddying, "Do it." By taking her own advice, the senior from Chicago finds herself in a good position to be giving it. Her time on the fairways of La Grange Country Club the past few summers has opened her eyes to exciting career possibilities by interacting with "powerful women" in fields such as medicine. It's also provided the means to pursue such careers by enabling her to become the first member of her family to attend college.

Thanks to the Evans Scholarship Soto was awarded this year, she's headed to the University of Illinois enrolled in pre-Med majoring in Cinema and Media Studies - something she really didn't foresee as a Woodlands Academy freshman due to her family's financial situation. But the hard work and character she's demonstrated since then at the all-girls college-prep high school in Lake Forest and the country club in La Grange created a path to Urbana/Champaign as Woodlands' fourth Evans Scholar in the last five years. By doing so, Soto joins a select group of 270 students from the U.S. and Canada as 2017 recipients.

The Chick Evans Scholarship Program provides full tuition and housing college grants to golf caddies based on excellence in the classroom and in their communities, as well as on the golf course. Each recipient reflects the scholarship's four selection criteria - a strong caddy record, excellent academics, demonstrated financial need and outstanding character. It's the nation's largest scholarship program for caddies, having been supported since 1930 by the Illinois-based Western Golf Association through its Evans Scholars Foundation. A representative of the association attended the Woodlands Academy Honors Assembly June 1 to make a formal presentation of Soto's scholarship award.

Soto chose caddying as an activity under the Daniel Murphy Scholarship she received to help her family defray the costs of her private high school education. Highlights have included working at the LPGA's 2016 UL International Crown tournament held at the Merit Club in nearby Gurnee where she assisted Amy Yang's caddy. Yang, a two-time U.S. Women's Open runner-up and winner of two LPGA tournaments, would go on to represent her native Korea in the Summer Olympics later that year.

"When I started, I thought I was the worst caddy ever," Soto said. She credits her caddy master at La Grange, "Coach K," with providing some much-needed guidance. "He saw something in me and helped me achieve my potential." Soto is thankful to the staff at La Grange who sponsored her Evans Scholarship bid.

She also credits Woodlands Academy College Counselor Mike Ford with going "above and beyond" in helping her get through the application process. "On my interview day I was reduced to a bundle of nerves," she said. "My parents couldn't be there, so I was on my own. However, Mr. Ford came to support me. Having a teacher there who truly embodies Sacred Heart education really gave me the confidence I needed to knock it out of the park."

Ford recalls how "extremely poised" she was during her interview as a finalist in front of nearly 150 people. "Katelynn's maturity and preparedness stand out to me as two of the main reasons she received the Evans Scholarship. She is extraordinarily impressive and an important part of our community here at Woodlands. Many great things await her at the University of Illinois and beyond."

Head of School Meg Steele was pleased to write a letter of recommendation to accompany Soto's application. "As important as her strong work ethic and busy extracurricular schedule, is Katelynn's personal presence at Woodlands. She leads with wit and intelligence, always with an eye toward the greater good of the community," Steele said.

Jane Lennon, Soto's 11th grade Honors U.S. History teacher, wrote in her letter of recommendation to the Scholarship Committee: "Katelynn's disposition is truly exceptional. She is really upbeat, positive and cheerful, without sacrificing any seriousness of purpose."

Soto's interests in high school have included music and drama, which she'll likely pursue at the University of Illinois by joining one of its student choirs as well as through her Cinema Studies major there. During her senior year at Woodlands, Soto sang in all three choirs and was the theatre program's assistant director. Other leadership roles included layout editor at the school newspaper, Chemistry Club co-president and Spirit Club co-chair.

Receiving an Evans Scholarship "means the world" to Soto for many reasons. Not the least of which is being able to vicariously make her mother's own dream of attending college, itself never realized due to financial circumstances, finally come true.

Founded in 1858, Woodlands Academy is an independent Catholic college preparatory day and boarding high school for young women. It's part of a worldwide network of Sacred Heart Schools that spans the United States and 40 other countries. A nonprofit, Woodlands Academy's identity is rooted in Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat's desire to inspire young hearts and minds to excel, to lead lives of integrity and to serve. For more information about Woodlands Academy, please visit www.woodlandsacademy.org