The Sarpy County Bar Association announced that Papillion-La Vista South High School graduate Kya Brooks and Creighton Preparatory School graduate Sam O’Loughlin are the recipients of its 2021 college scholarships.

Brooks, who will be a freshman at Harvard University in the fall, graduated summa cum laude with a 4.57 grade-point average. She plans on studying economics, with a minor in Spanish, with an eye on a career in international business or law.

Brooks said that she was excited when she learned that she had been awarded one of the SCBA scholarships.

“I’m really interested in law,” Brooks said. “I want to take a lot of classes that could prepare me for law and international relations and things like that.”

Brooks served as the Nebraska DECA state secretary for the 2020-21 school year and is signed to Omaha-based Develop Model Management. She has twice graced the cover of Omaha Fashion Magazine.

While at Creighton Prep, Sam O’Loughlin was involved in many charitable efforts in the community, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands and Operation Others, a student-led food assistance program.

O’Loughlin, who will be attending Creighton University, was also manager of the Creighton Prep football team and an assistant team trainer. He is considering participating in Creighton’s 3-3 program for law school and is also considering medical school.

Both scholarship winners will receive $1,500 for the upcoming school year, split evenly between the fall and spring semesters. The SCBA scholarships are presented annually to graduating high school seniors or college undergraduates who are studying criminal justice, criminology, sociology, psychology or pre-law. Since its inception, the SCBA has awarded more than $10,000 in scholarships.