Anonymous gift means 6 students receive scholarships
six high-achieving seniors from high schools across boston went to Wednesday’s school committee meeting expecting to see one walk away with a $10,000 scholarship and five others go home disappointed.
instead, each of the collegebound students received a giant novelty check for the full scholarship amount, thanks to a $50,000 donation from an anonymous donor.
The half-dozen teenagers were finalists for a scholarship offered by the book publisher scholastic. They had no idea that everyone would be a winner.
“it was really shocking,” said Mari baker, one of the recipients, who attends boston latin school.
“i mean, it was very emotional for me, especially because it was just such a big surprise.”
baker, 18, of Dorchester, said she cried with gratitude when she received the check, which she might hang in her dorm room this fall at northeastern University, where she plans to pursue a degree in architecture.
she interned last summer at an architecture firm that designs mostly health care facilities, schools, and laboratories, and she’s interested in designing buildings for public use, she said in an interview Thursday.
“i’m very interested in things that are able to give back to their communities and also focus a lot on sustainability,” she said.
Julie cyprien, a student at east boston high school, was chosen as the scholarship’s winner and was announced first, while her peers still expected to see only one person take home a check.
“My dream is to one day become a judge,” cyprien said in an interview with WcVb-TV. “Go to law school and be a lawyer for a little bit, and then i would like to be on the supreme court.”
baker said she was happy for cyprien when she won because the students had introduced themselves to one another and talked for a while before the ceremony, “and honestly, everybody was so deserving.”
YiYang Zhong, who is graduating from boston Green Academy
in brighton, said the money will help her seek out learning experiences.
“now i can start applying for any research opportunities, because i really want to be a scientist,” she told WcVb.
Valquiria Tavares Monteiro, a student at Jeremiah e. burke high school in Dorchester, told WcVb she plans to study child psychology in college.
“because that’s something that i’ve struggled with in the past ... i want to be there for those that didn’t have that chance,” she told the station.
Abul Azan, who is graduating from boston international newcomers Academy, told WcVb he was still “deciding in between Wentworth and UMass boston.”
Ana Tran, a senior at boston latin Academy in Dorchester, said she wasn’t sure how she will spend the cash.
“i could use this money to either give back to my community or pay for my college tuition,” Tran told WcVb.
“That will make me feel so happy.”