EAST ST. LOUIS - East St. Louis District 189’s Tatiana Routt has been honored as a Wendy’s High School Heisman winner.
Tatiana is a senior and is in the second year of the Running Start program, a partnership between District 189 and Southwest Illinois College which allows exceptional students to complete the requirements to get their high school diploma and to earn an associate’s degree at the same time. She is on pace to complete the program in May.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
“Tatiana is intelligent, focused, and committed to her goals,” said Dr. Teresa Williams, Director of College and Career Readiness at District 189. “She has made the transition from high school to college as a high school student look effortless while balancing her course load, extra-curricular activities and work. She is one of a kind, and it has been a pleasure working with her.”
Tatiana has had her eye on her education beyond high school for a long time. In 2015, she participated in the Washington University College Prep Program where she attended science labs and writing workshops as part of the intensive higher education preparation program that teaches students how to perform academically and socially at the next level of their education.
“Tatianna is a beautiful young lady with a bright future,” noted Audrey Jackson-Luster, Student Transition Interventionist at East St. Louis Senior High School. “She has everything it takes to be successful, such as intelligence, perseverance, focus and great character. Therefore, it came as no shock to me that she would be chosen as the Wendy’s Heisman School Winner.” Jackson-Luster continued to add, “I have full confidence that Tatiana will continue to make the most of her educational opportunities.”
Students must have at least a 3.0 grade point average to be nominated for the Wendy’s High School Heisman Award. They must also be role models and leaders at their school and perform in at least one of 47 school-sponsored sports. Tatiana has been a cheerleader for the East St. Louis Flyers. State level winners receive a $1,000 college scholarship, national finalists receive a $5,000 scholarship and national winners get $10,000 to help pay for their college education.
The Wendy's High School Heisman was created by Wendy's founder Dave Thomas in 1994. Thomas dropped out of high school when he was 15 years old in order to work full-time and went on to become one of the most successful entrepreneurs in history. While this nontraditional path led to his prosperity, it always worried Dave that others would follow in his footsteps and expect to achieve similar fame and wealth by not finishing high school or attending college.
Faced with this dilemma, at 61 years old, Dave enrolled at Coconut Creek High School in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and received his General Equivalency Diploma (GED). Inspired by this moment and with a desire to celebrate the outstanding achievements of youth in America, he launched the Wendy's High School Heisman program.
National finalists were announced in November.
