Columbia High's Lockman named National Scholar

Tens of thousands of students applied, according to a press release from the association. Those chosen were recognized for their commitment to continuing their education and giving back to their communities through the pandemic, the release said.

Lockman said he plans to pursue a computer science degree and hopes to play soccer at the next level in the process.

“I really love soccer and I want to play soccer if I can, but I also have a brain,” he said.

Lockman said he hopes to work in the “assistive technology” field — “like rehabilitation robotics.” He said he enjoys being part of a team and complex work like robotics demands a team of like-minded people working toward a common cause.

Though Lockman hasn’t yet decided where he will attend college, he said he has been accepted to Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Indiana where the soccer coach told him there will be a roster spot waiting.

Rose-Hulman has been named the top engineering college in the nation by U.S. News and World Report for 22 consecutive years, according to the school’s website. Lockman said it feels good to know he has at least one viable option.

A senior soccer season at CHS hasn’t been a sure-thing since the pandemic interrupted his junior campaign last year. To stay in shape and showcase his talent to college scouts and coaches, he has been playing soccer with the Westside Timbers Soccer Club in Beaverton, Ore.

“If I don’t play, I won’t get recognized,” he said.

Lockman said the club provided a higher level of competition than he was used to at first, but he has settled in and earned a starting spot.

“I was really scared when I first went in,” Lockman said. “I realized I work just as hard, if not harder than these kids and I can hold my own out there.”

Horatio Alger Association President Jim Dicke said in an email that the scholarship is aimed at helping “deserving young people who have demonstrated integrity, determination in overcoming adversity, academic potential and the personal aspiration to make unique contributions to society.”

Lockman said receiving the scholarship was a “huge boost” to his confidence as he knows many other recipients come from larger schools with more resources. He said he tries to live by the values of hard work, honesty and determination and hopes that people notice his actions.

“Right now it’s hard for people to see that passion through a screen,” he said.

Awarded scholars will travel to Washington, D.C. to meet other scholars and members of the association when it is safe to do so, according to the association’s press release. Scholars will also participate in college preparation sessions and other educational events.