Fugiett picked as a Rising Star

A year ago, Jay Community Center received a grant from the NBA as part of its All-Star Legacy program.

Sophia Fugiett will be receiving money as well.

Fugiett, a Jay County High School senior, was selected as one of 21 Rising Stars by the Indianapolis NBA All-Star Host Committee, and she’ll be honored at 6:30 p.m. tonight during a virtual event on Zoom.

“I was really just honored that I was put in to be even selected,” Fugiett said. “That they thought of me, that was really special.”

Jay Community Center, more specifically the Jay County Boys Club, had been given a $50,000 grant by the Indianapolis NBA All-Star Host Committee in February 2020, and JCC used that money to repurpose two restrooms into an activity room to expand its programming.

Along with being a recipient of those grant dollars, JCC was able to nominate three local students to receive a $2,100 scholarship, a gift box of NBA All-Star gear and an invitation to be recognized at the NBA’s All-Star Game, which was scheduled to be in Indianapolis this season.

The All-Star activities — the game is set for Sunday — were moved to Atlanta.

To be eligible for the scholarship, the individual: must be a high school student scheduled to graduate in 2021; demonstrate leadership through community participation, academic achievement, and/or extracurricular activities; and demonstrate the intent to pursue higher education after high school graduation.

Jay Community Center executive director Kyle Cook said he reached out to Jay Schools, a former teacher and an active teacher for ideas of who to nominate as its three Rising Stars.

He said Fugiett’s name was mentioned more than once.

“All the hard work I put in in high school, pushing myself to be that leader to other people, it does pay off,” she said. “Someone has seen it. I’ve gotten leadership awards for track and cross country before.

“But it just … really made me happy that someone from the community realized all that I am doing.”

Fugiett, who plans to attend Ball State University and study health and physical education, volunteers through the National Honor Society, JCHS student council, 4-H and Redkey Junior League as well with her church.

“I love helping out people and I love helping out younger kids learn about their fitness and how it’s important to their health,” she said. “I’m just honored to be one of the 21 in Indiana.

“That’s pretty cool.”