Jake P. Mocko Memorial Scholarship of the Madison Area YMCA Fund
The Jake P. Mocko Memorial Scholarship is proudly offered by the Madison Area YMCA, made possible through the generosity of charitable donors.
The Madison Area YMCA is dedicated to ensuring the Jake P. Mocko Memorial Scholarship endures for years to come—and your generous donation plays a vital role in making that possible. Your support honors Jake’s legacy and helps empower Madison High School graduates who, like Jake, have faced life’s challenges with strength, perseverance, and unwavering character. Your donation makes a meaningful impact, ensuring that Jake’s resilience, kindness, and inspiring spirit continue to uplift others for years to come.
ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP
This award honors the legacy of Jake Peter Mocko, a Madison High School Class of 2022 alumnus and a dedicated Madison Area YMCA Member Services Representative. During his junior year, Jake was diagnosed with Grade IV Astrocytoma, a rare and aggressive cancer affecting the central nervous system. Despite undergoing extensive treatments, participating in clinical trials, and engaging in physical therapy, he remained committed to his studies and his work at the Madison Area YMCA.
Through unimaginable challenges, Jake exemplified courage, grace, and unwavering character—qualities that continue to inspire all who knew him. Though Jake’s battle with cancer ended far too soon, his strength and spirit live on in the lives he touched. This scholarship is a tribute to his resilience, awarded to graduates who have faced significant life challenges and responded with the same strength, perseverance, and character that defined Jake’s journey.
The Jake P. Mocko Memorial Scholarship is offered to Madison High School Students and can be found on the Madison Public Schools' website here.
DONATE HERE
Thank you for being a part of this special tribute and for helping us keep Jake’s memory alive.
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Congratulations to the 2026 Scholarship Winner: Luca Bambaci
May 30, 2025
I am honored and grateful to be named the 2026 Recipient of the Jake Mocko Memorial Scholarship.
My high school journey had some similarities with Jake's - an unimaginable diagnosis followed by an unwavering desire to not be defined by it. I understand Jake's persistence in his studies and responsibilities through treatment as a commitment to himself and to some degree of normalcy, because I strived for the same.
A time of hardship leads to a time of reflection and learning, of wanting to be better and make a change. My next chapter will take me to Stevens Institute of Technology to pursue a degree in Engineering. From a young age the challenges of math and science have interested me, and I look forward to continuing my knowledge in these subjects, in the hopes of making a meaningful and beneficial impact on the world around me.
-Luca Bambaci