Villa Maria Academy’s Kenya Cook is Main Line Student of the Week (Jan. 2-8) – Mainline Media News

A senior at Villa Maria Academy, Kenya Cook is President of the school’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. She is also Vice President of National Honor Society, President of the school’s Orchestra, a member of the String and Keyboard Ensemble and captain of the Badminton Club.

Main Line Media News: What are your goals as President of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Club? What is the accomplishment you are most proud of as President?

Kenya Cook: As President of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, my main goal is to make change. As cliché as it can sound, we have to start small and do the work to change the society around us. It’s not an obligation, of course, but it is a decision. I would like to make things better for the younger girls that look like me so they don’t experience what I have. I’m hoping that the young women working with me, the DEI Committee, and the Black Student Union feel they have a safe place to express their opinions, thoughts, and ideas to work toward change.

Main Line Media News: Regarding the annual student-led assembly at Villa Maria called “Conversations Not Had” that is run by the DEI, what do you feel is the most important thing you have learned from this event?

Kenya Cook: The most important thing I have learned from “Conversations Not Had” is that there is always someone listening to what you have to say. Sometimes they are supportive and that feels awesome. You feel seen and your story feels appreciated. Sometimes they are just waiting for you to phrase something wrong or make a wrong move and then you can feel invalidated and unheard/alone. You have to keep moving if you want change that betters the community and essentially blocks out the haters to fight for what you believe in.

Main Line Media News: You attended the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice in Washington, D.C. What do you think has been the most important thing you have learned from this three-day conference?

Kenya Cook: I learned that everybody has a story and everybody deserves to be heard. I also learned that it is important to understand that if you are fighting for one component of social justice — for instance, racial justice — then you can’t choose not to fight for economic justice. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion encompasses all of social Justice, not just one aspect.

Main Line Media News: Last summer, you attended Kairos. What do you feel have been the most important things you have gained from this event?

Kenya Cook: I really learned to take some quiet time for myself where I can talk to God. It really strengthened my relationship with Him. I learned more about my strengths and aspects of my life I need to work on. Regarding the other people on my Kairos I learned so much about their stories, and I’m very close to them.

Main Line Media News: Tell us a little about your goals as Vice President of the National Honor Society.

Kenya Cook: As Vice President of the National Honor Society (NHS), my goal is to make sure that we (tutors) can help others around us who are courageous and advocate for them to get help if they are struggling, and that we are capable in our abilities and knowledge of subjects. My goal is also to make sure that NHS members, including myself, understand why serving others and helping each other is important.

Main Line Media News: Tell us a little about your role as President of the school’s Orchestra.

Kenya Cook: As President of Villa’s Orchestra, I work with the head of Villa’s music department, Ms. Leah Kim-Tomilson, Orchestra’s Vice President, and manager to create ways to uplift the music students, adjust the calendar, make announcements to Orchestra members, and suggest fun factors for Orchestra and the music department. I started a dance period at the beginning of Orchestra’s rehearsal to “Break My Soul” by Beyoncé to make sure that we understand to try and leave negativity at the door and let the positivity flow through us when we play and share our music.

Main Line Media News: What is your favorite book, and why?

Kenya Cook: The books that I love the most have been any books from Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter Chronicles, The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas, and Kindred by Octavia E. Butler. I love any book with a good plot twist and some juicy drama, which all of them have. I also love books that relate to me. In Cassandra Clare’s series, I relate to plenty of the female protagonists who feel they have something to prove and have been placed into a leadership position they haven’t necessarily asked for. The Hate You Give has the strongest tie to my life because a young woman is trying to navigate the world around her that condemns people that look like her without checking their prejudice and bias behavior. Kindred is such a great read and raw. The plot twists are immaculate. I love stories that can almost consume you while you’re reading.

(To be selected as Main Line Student of the Week, a student must first be nominated by his or her school.)