LYNN – Raw Art Works has been 13-year-old Alexandria Kruizenga’s second home for nearly eight years, but a scholars program, which the nonprofit helped her gain admission to, might put RAW reluctantly in the teen’s rear-view mirror.”It helps you apply for to high schools. They guide you through the application process and with extra curricular activities, and if you’re not doing well in a class they’ll help you,” Alexandria said. “I learned about it at RAW Arts. They thought I would be a good fit.”The Marshall Middle School eighth grader is one of just 62 middle school students chosen from more than 2,000 nationwide to participate in the Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars Program. The goal of the program is to give high-achieving students with financial need the guidance and resources necessary to help them excel during high school into college.Founded by Cooke, a self-made billionaire who once owned the Washington Redskins, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Kings, the idea is that with the right help, greatness will emerge.Speaking from the gallery at RAW, Maureen Kruizenga said her daughter has always been an achiever but she admits she is blown away by the scholarship program.Alexandria said the application process was tough. It started with a basic application, a teacher recommendation and test scores. Phase two, she said included a more in-depth interview, more teacher recommendations plus one from her principal Richard Cowdell.”Then we waited, and at the beginning of September I got a fat package in the mail,” she said. “I was so shocked and definitely excited.”Maureen Kruizenga called the interview process “intense and awesome,” and noted that her daughter wasn’t the only one being interviewed. She said she and her husband, Len, were also essentially interviewed and their financial records were checked out thoroughly.”We are very excited and very proud of her,” added Len Kruizenga.Alexandria she has already been matched with an adviser who will work with her throughout the duration of the program. He has already given her a list of high schools to look at, some local, some private and some boarding schools.”He told me to look at everything,” she said. “He told me to keep an open mind.”The thought of daughter going away to boarding school at age 13 scares her, but Maureen Kruizenga said she would never want to hold Alexandria back.”This is her time,” Len Kruizenga said.Maureen Kruizenga said along with offering financial support to pay for school, the foundation also offers tools to succeed. She said Alexandria’s adviser already told her watch the mail for a computer.”That’s humongous,” she said.”I was definitely speechless about that,” Alexandria Kruizenga said.The foundation’s guidance does come at a cost, but it’s not one Alexandria Kruizenga is worried about. She has to keep her grades and she has to focus but Len Kruizenga said that has never been a problem for his daughter.”They don’t have to worry about that she’s had straight A’s since she started getting those kinds of letter grades,” he said.”I’ve been thinking about college since I was, like, eight,” Alexandria added.A fixture at Raw Art Works, Alexandria Kruizenga said she is very interested in pursuing artistic endeavors but not just visual arts.”I’m very much into music, percussion and I’m learning to play piano,” she said. “I love to write poetry and I want to make movies.”Maureen Kruizenga said she considers the family blessed that they found Raw ARTS and that Alexandria has happened onto this “intensely exciting” ride.”We found this place by accident,” she said. “When she comes home from here she is just so happy, every time.”As excited as she is about her future Alexandria Kruizenga does have one worry.”I’m not sure about boarding school because I’m not sure I can give up RAW Arts,” she said. “I never would have known about this without RAW Arts.”Chris Stevens may be reached at [email protected].