{
  "id": 9167109,
  "title": "Lafayette Jeff's Onil Cepeda in running for life-changing scholarship",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/lafayette-jeffs-onil-cepeda-in-running-for-life-changing-scholarship",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-22T17:21:15.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/lafayette-jeffs-onil-cepeda-running-172115092.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Lafayette — A local high school athlete, Onil Cepeda, is currently competing in the national Youth Athlete of the Year competition, which could offer him a life-altering scholarship. The junior at Lafayette Jeff competes in both cross country and track and field. Cepeda's selection is due to his resilience in the face of numerous injuries and health challenges over the years.\n\nDespite setbacks, like an ankle sprain that prevented him from training for months, Cepeda remains dedicated to his sport. He emphasizes his commitment, stating, \"He is always looking forward to tackle every run every workout and give the absolute best of himself everyday.\"\n\nThe Youth Athlete of the Year competition is a nationwide online contest and public voting event organized by Colossal, 3BRAND, and Sports Illustrated. The event, supported by Russell Wilson, Kevin Love, David Ortiz, Shawn Johnson East, and Laila Ali, benefits Russell Wilson's Why Not You Foundation and the V Foundation for Cancer Research. Both organizations focus on fighting poverty through education and accelerating pediatric cancer research.\n\nVoting for Cepeda will end on September 24 at 11 p.m. EST. If he wins his group, he advances to the semifinals. Ultimately, winning the final round grants him a $25,000 scholarship and an advertising campaign on major platforms like CBS and Sports Illustrated, securing vital funding for his college education while also supporting charitable causes.",
  "summary": "Lafayette Jeff junior Onil Cepeda is in the running for the Youth Athlete of the Year competition and a life-changing scholarship.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}