Certified genius. A member of Mensa and other intellectual societies.
Selfless volunteer.  Active in a variety of impactful community projects.
All-around student.  In JROTC, ranked Track & Field athlete, and a Miss Teen.

Meet Kaeleigh Thorp.

A high school senior from the shores of California, Kaeleigh embodies the all-around high school student through her outstanding achievements in academics, community service, and other achievements, and the Discus Awards is proud to recognize Kaeleigh for her excellence in and outside the classroom.

Kaeleigh is the winner of the March 2011 Discus Awards Scholarship, a scholarship for high school students presented to one select Discus Award winner every month of the academic year. From among thousands of Discus Award winners and accomplishments in 10 attribute categories, a panel of judges has chosen Kaeleigh as the recipient of the $2,000 college scholarship.

The Discus Awards, a high school recognition and scholarship program honoring students who excel in and out of the classroom, looks beyond grades, test scores, and win-loss records and recognizes students for their multi-dimensional talents and passions.

Kaeleigh has demonstrated her stunning intellectual capacity as a member of Mensa and other high society groups and her volunteering DNA through her various service projects, and the Discus Awards is proud to shine the spotlight on her.

		Academics
		“I am a member of Mensa, the International High IQ Society, Intertel, the Top One Percent Society, and the National Society of High School Scholars.” As impressive as the company she keeps, Kaeleigh is an intellectually gifted young woman. Graduating high school with a GPA above 4.0 was not enough to satisfy Kaeleigh; she will also be graduating in May with Associate Degrees in Liberal Studies, Behavioral/Social Science, and Anthropology. She will graduate with a 4.0 GPA in her community college work ready to take on her next academic challenge, which is just one reason among many why she is a Discus Awards scholarship winner.

		Community Service
		“Some of my volunteer service includes...spearheading a holiday card campaign for an Army brigade (3,000 troops) serving in Iraq and serving as a Youth Attorney for at-risk, first-time juvenile offenders.” Kaeleigh has recorded more than 1,680 community service hours through the President's Volunteer Service Awards website. She has done everything from sponsoring "adopted" Marines and soldiers and sending correspondence and care packages to them, to fundraising for UNICEF, WorldVision, and the Red Cross and gathering and donating items to Children's Hospitals. Kaeleigh spends much of her time devoted to others - a true quality of a Discus Award winner.

		Other Achievements
		“I am the Cadet Lieutenant Colonel and Staff Commander of my school's Army JROTC program and I am in the County's Youth Leadership Academy.” Kaeleigh's achievements and activities are too diverse for just three Discus attributes. She is a Team Leader for her local Nordstrom's BP Fashion Board, a County Youth of the Year nominee, and an ESPN Rise Girl Honor Roll inductee. She is also the Varsity Field Captain for her second year, has been ranked in the top 3 in her league for shot put and discus since her freshmen year, is Miss Teen Alameda County 2010, and is a working actress. But other than all that, she's not too busy...

Learn more about Kaeleigh and other Discus Awards winners