Cecilia Beauchamp, a senior at The Bronx High School of Science, is spending the week in New Orleans as one of eight nationwide finalists for the NFL Latino Youth Honors.
The second annual award from the NFL, in partnership with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation and Procter & Gamble, honors outstanding seniors who excel in flag or tackle football and demonstrate community leadership and academic excellence.
Beauchamp told the Bronx Times that her flag football coach, whom she called “literally amazing,” secretly nominated her for the award, which she didn’t even know existed. She found out the good news once she was through the first round and named the winner representing the New York Jets. “That was surreal because I didn’t even know it was a thing.”
A total of 59 students were nominated to represent each of the 32 NFL clubs, and a panel narrowed it down to eight, representing each of the NFL divisions. As the female winner representing the Jets and the AFC East, Beauchamp will be in New Orleans from Feb. 5 through 10, attending a gala and mentorship events, doing press interviews and of course, watching the Super Bowl.
The male and female national winners will be announced during the week at NFL Honors, the league’s primetime awards show. Each winner will receive a $25,000 grant for college, with the other six finalists receiving $5,000.
The week will bring many surprises leading up to the big game. “I’m so excited to be in that atmosphere,” said Beauchamp.
Beauchamp’s love for football started at an early age, and her dad taught her how to throw a football before any other athletic skill. “That was the first thing he ever taught me,” she said. “That kind of became our thing.”
Beauchamp started mainly playing basketball and tennis, but when she found out that Bronx Science had a flag football team, she thought it would be a great opportunity to participate in something unique.
Beauchamp signed on as a freshman and ended up being named starting quarterback and captain. She quickly recognized that while her teammates came from all different athletic backgrounds, they were eager to learn a new sport and “be around other passionate athletes,” she said.
“We were all super dedicated, super motivated to learn more and progress,” said Beauchamp.
As QB, she had to learn how to keep track of all her teammates, run all the plays and patterns, communicate with her coach and show leadership on the field. “It was definitely a learning curve, but it’s just been such a cool experience.”
The team’s collective mindset, combined with their math and science skills, meant they could not be outsmarted on the field. Beauchamp said her aptitude for physics and understanding of arc, torque and other principles is a natural asset to her game.
“Everything you do is physics,” she said. “I truly find it fascinating.”
In preparation for the New Orleans trip, Beauchamp admitted her NFL and Super Bowl loyalties are somewhat divided this year.
“I have so much love and gratitude for the Jets because I won for them,” she said. However, both of her parents were born and raised in Philadelphia, and with the Eagles playing in the big game, she knows who she’ll be rooting for.
“It’s our comeback year,” she said. “We are gonna beat the Chiefs.”
In addition to the sporting side of the award, Beauchamp also appreciates the cultural aspect. Being Puerto Rican has “always been important to who I am,” she said. She grew up listening to reggaeton and bomba music, cooking with her abuela and speaking Spanglish. Beauchamp called herself “an imperfect Latina” who embraces the duality of cultures that make up her family. “That’s okay and makes me even more authentic.”
Receiving honors from the NFL is not the only exciting thing in Beauchamp’s life. She recently found out she was accepted into Yale, her dream college. Although she has not yet formally committed, Beauchamp said she is proud of everything she has accomplished. “It was a lot of hard work and stress, but I’m so grateful it led to something so positive.”
Beauchamp said the NFL Latino Youth Honors is especially meaningful because it celebrates her identity as a student, athlete and Latina, showing the world that representation matters. “We are here and we are present. I am here, and I’m going to the Super Bowl. I can’t wait.”
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
