We all say we want what’s best for our children and for them to take advantage of every opportunity. But what happens when those opportunities take them out of the country before they are even old enough to drive?
Mason Thompson, now a 17-year-old junior at Daviess County High School could easily be labeled a world traveler and she has yet to graduate high school. Over the span of the past three years, Mason has traveled to California, Peru, Thailand, and is now completing a semester study at The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, New York.
When asked how Mason could possibly come back to a typical high school day in Owensboro after having such diverse experiences, she was quite honest, “I’m actually really nervous about making the transition back. The creativity and the mindset that they instill here (at the Masters School), I want to bring that back with me to Daviess County.”
Mason’s adventures began was she was in seventh grade and took the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), scoring well enough to be ranked in the top 99% of the Nation. She said the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation recognized her accomplishments and, in turn, sent her scholarship application paperwork. When Mason’s mother, Kathy, first received the paperwork, she said there was even a moment where she “thought it might be a hoax,” but “we sent it in to see.” From there the process continued to narrow down applicants from 2,000 to 200.
Mason was later informed she had been selected as a finalist and was contacted for phone and Skype interviews to help make the final determination. On September 28, 2015, nine months after the process began, Mason was notified that she had been selected as one of the 69 students in the Nation to receive the Young Scholars Scholarship award.
As a single mother, Kathy Thompson found the scholarship to be an overwhelming blessing and said, “They pay for everything. Her school fees, internet, her laptop,” not to mention up to $40,000 a year for college. Not only is the financial part covered, but Mason was also assigned an educational advisor, Matthew Keys. “He is my go to for everything,” Mason said. Matthew meets with Mason once a month to work with her on goal setting and her plans for the future.
“I didn’t know what my opportunities were, “ Mason said. Referring to her current schooling in Dobbs Ferry, New York, “I didn’t know a semester program was an option.” Not only has Matthew provided educational support, and arranged for multiple college visits, Mason is also part of a summer program that involves philanthropy and immersion in diverse cultural experiences.
In the summer of 2016, she was able to study photography in Idyllwild, California, and in 2017 traveled to Peru to assist in building a school and working on irrigation canals. This past summer, she had the opportunity to stay with families in two different villages in Thailand as she learned more about Buddhism and Thai culture. Mason said, while there, she was able to visit Buddhist temples, be blessed by monks, visit an elephant sanctuary, and teach English in a nearby school.
Currently, she is enjoying her semester study in urban development and the history of New York at The Masters School. Rather than the traditional classroom setting, her classes are held at different locations throughout the city affording her the opportunity to truly experience the rich culture New York has to offer. Mason said, as a small town girl from Owensboro, Kentucky, “it is really different. It’s a lot more fast-paced…I love the city.” An avid cellist, Mason said she has most enjoyed visiting the Bowery Ballroom and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
As far as how Mason feels about returning to Daviess County High School after spending four months in the big city, she said, “I think I’ll be excited to come back and spend time and be with my friends at school. I do look forward to the spirit of community that we have there, that sense of Panther Pride.”
When looking ahead to her future, Mason said her plan has deviated a bit, but she still has the same overall goals. If she had her choice of dream schools, which it appears she does, she would attend Stanford University and major in psychiatry. Her ultimate goal is to establish a non-profit mental health clinic that offers services and resources to middle and high school age students.
If the last three years are any indication of the future, there is no telling where Mason’s journey might take her.