FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – High school senior Nigel Cooper has been making an impact through his commitment to teamwork and discipline.
Cooper is getting a head start in engineering in Jack Britt High School's specialized labs. This program at the Fayetteville school gives him hands-on experience before graduating. He says there’s a lot of trial and error in engineering, but the failures build knowledge, persistence and passion.
Cooper is this week's Spectrum News 1 High School Scholar.
“As a child I've always been interested in technical engineering and its complexity,” Cooper said. “I have a passion for environmental science. I want to be able to actually engineer techniques to combat climate change and have more sustainability in the world.”
Engineering is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Cooper’s involvement at school and in the community. He’s been student body president, is part of multiple honor societies and is on the school football team.
“One thing I like about football [is that] it builds camaraderie, teamwork, and it helps you build bonds, lasting bonds,” Cooper said.“One thing I like about football [is that] it builds camaraderie, teamwork, and it helps you build bonds, lasting bonds,” Cooper said.
Being a student athlete requires a lot of work and effort while also balancing classes, but Cooper does it well, getting awards for highest varsity football GPA two years in a row. And on top of that, he has a nonprofit to run, Silver Spark.
“We go out and help aid low-income senior [citizens] in public housing with home living necessities that they might have,” Cooper said.
He and his team help with needs around the house while providing genuine connections.
“A part of my project, a slogan of it, is 'Silver Spark: Sparking Connections' with our elderly because they're human, too,” Cooper said. “And even because they're old, that doesn't mean we should just brush them away. We should try to talk to them and actually associate with them.”
Cooper says his high school experiences are preparing him for his next steps.
“I am afraid of the future, because I don't know what it might hold,” he said. “But I still know that if I just work hard and just keep on pursuing what I want to pursue, which is environmental engineering, that I can get through it and still get to what I want to do and make an impact through my dream job.”
Cooper’s family and friends got together to celebrate his accomplishments.
“I’m extremely proud of Nigel,” his mother, Niakeya Cooper, said. “He has done wonderful things. And what I appreciate most about him is that he does not give up… so I just want him to know that his village is here, and we are all supporting him, and we are very proud of him.”
State Rep. Frances Jackson presented a $1,000 scholarship to Cooper as part of the Spectrum’s High School Scholars program.
His supporters say his kindness, compassion and perseverance are what make him successful.
Cooper is looking forward to attending UNC-Chapel Hill this fall. He will be majoring in environmental public health with a minor in engineering for environmental change, climate and health.
