D.C. Everest teen wins $7,500 Cousins Subs scholarship

WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - Cousins Subs®, alongside its Make It Better Foundation and partner, Donald Driver, have named Colin Belton of D.C. Everest High School as the first-place winner of a $7,500 Driven at Heart Scholarship.

Belton is one of four Wisconsin high school senior finalists who took home scholarships as part of the inaugural Driven at Heart scholarship contest. He was selected as a finalist for his academic excellence while being a multi-sport athlete and dedicated community volunteer.

In high school, Belton played varsity tennis and soccer throughout his four years, receiving multiple unanimous first-team all-conference honors, and several all-state nominations and serving as captain for both sports. He coached numerous soccer programs, is a certified USSF referee, and is a three-time member of the Wisconsin Olympic Development Program State Soccer Team.

Outside of sports, Belton received the President’s Gold Volunteer Service Award for his work raising puppies with Patriot K9s of Wisconsin, an organization that provides service dogs for veterans with PTSD and traumatic brain injury; he was also a founding member of the Junior Board.

Through his hard work, Belton obtained a 3.98 GPA and will attend Duke University in the fall to study neuroscience and history and partake in Duke’s FOCUS program studying cognitive neuroscience and law.

“I am someone who always tried my best to embody the ideals of a student-athlete, while at the same time contributing in a significant way to my community,” he said. “Balancing academic curiosity with athletic and community involvement is not always easy and receiving this award helps me realize that all my hard work throughout high school has paid off. Furthermore, to be recognized by someone I admire and with such high prestige like Donald Driver is truly an honor.”

Joining Belton is Ava Lamers of Rhinelander, Wis. who also received a $7,500 scholarship, and second-place winners, Audrey Rabitz of Manitowoc, Wis. and Dalton Hoehn of Mauston, Wis., who received $2,500 scholarships.

Belton, alongside the other recipients and their parents, attended the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame 73rd Annual Induction Ceremony Saturday, April 1st, where they were recognized on stage during the ceremony by Driver and Cousins Subs Vice President of Marketing, Justin McCoy.

“These four individuals are beyond impressive,” said Driver. “We had a ton of great applicants for our first Driven at Heart scholarship contest, but Ava, Colin, Audrey, and Dalton stood out amongst the crowd. It was an honor to be on stage with these four bright minds and I can’t wait to see what they accomplish in the next step of their life journeys.”

“We couldn’t have asked for a better group to represent our first Driven at Heart scholarship winners,” said McCoy. “I have no doubt they will find success throughout their college years and beyond – these four set the bar high for years to come.”

Cousins Subs received nearly 300 applications from stellar high school senior athletes through the Driven at Heart scholarship contest. The four scholarship recipients were selected due to their academic achievements, community contributions, and success in WIAA-sanctioned sports.

The four scholarships are funded by the Make It Better Foundation – the brand’s nonprofit organization that addresses the vital community needs of health and wellness, hunger, and youth education. Formerly known as the Wisconsin Sports Awards Scholarship Contest, the organization has awarded more than $200,000 in scholarships to 44 high school students, including this year’s recipients.

Established in 2013, the Make It Better Foundation is a nonprofit charitable organization that aims to improve the general welfare and quality of life in the communities Cousins Subs serves. The foundation is dedicated to funding three areas of interest that are vital to any community: health and wellness, hunger, and youth education. Since its inception, the Make It Better Foundation has awarded nearly $900,000 in grants and scholarships to students and nonprofit organizations throughout Wisconsin.

For more information about the Make It Better Foundation, please visit cousinssubs.com/foundation.