Glenview Gymnast Receives Academic Scholarship

GLENVIEW, IL — Despite putting in countless hours at the gym, Glenview gymnast Elena Pauker still managed to keep up with her schoolwork while also serving in several leadership roles. The recent Glenbrook South graduate has received a one-time scholarship of $5,000 from Plum Practicewear, a leading online retailer of gymnastics apparel and accessories.

Pauker is set to study finance at Washington University in St. Louis, where she will also be a member of the school's club gymnastics team, according to a news release.

"Being awarded the Plum scholarship is a great honor. I am thankful for the support from the Plum community as I embark on a new chapter of my life," Pauker said. "I am looking forward to broadening my business skills and becoming an impactful leader."

Pauker was selected out of 44 applicants who were required to provide a recent copy of their transcripts, a letter of recommendation, a 500-word essay, and a completed application detailing their participation in extracurricular activities and volunteer work. The applications were scored on a 100-point rubric that were based upon the following criteria: academics (grades) = 40 points, the essay = 30 points, extra-curricular/volunteerism = 20 points, and the letter of recommendation = 10 points.

Plum Practicewear, which opened in New Jersey in 2009, opens its application process for gymnasts across the country. The scholarship is available to graduating high school seniors who identify as competitive gymnasts within one of the following disciplines: artistic, rhythmic, acrobatic, tumbling, or trampoline.

Pauker finished as a Level 10 gymnast from the American Academy of Gymnastics. Since the age of 13, Pauker has dreamed of attending Washington University after visiting the campus on a family trip, according to the news release. She remembers the school feeling “castle-like” and felt like she was entering a “magical kingdom.” Five years and lots of hard work later, Pauker is joining the ranks of the community she once fantasized about being a part of.

In the classroom, she was a member of the Glenbrook South High School Model United Nations team since 2017, leading the group as a three-year executive board member. During that time, she was a varsity member and Build Captain of her school’s Science Olympiad team.

Pauker also lends a helping hand in her Glenview community. Between tutoring at the Glenbrook South Titan Learning Center, volunteering at her local library teaching young readers, and serving on the North Shore Legal Aid Clinic Regional Board, she has had an impact in her local neighborhood.

She began her professional career at a young age, serving as a Wilmette Gymnastics coach for the past four years and working as a marketing intern at Steelike Inc., a concrete manufacturer. Her endeavors have allowed her to learn valuable skills she hopes to expand on in her Finance studies, according to the news release.

Having competed in gymnastics for the past 11 years, Pauker is not ready to abandon her roots and has plans to give back to the sport differently. She is excited about joining the co-ed gymnastics club at Washington University, which will give her a chance to try the pommel horse, an event traditionally reserved for male competitors. She even dreams of developing her own gymnastics apparel line one day, according to the news release.

To learn more about the Plum Cares Academic Scholarship, visit PlumPracticewear.com. Applications for the 2022 scholarship program will be announced in April 2022.

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