When Stacey Ciprich, principal of Abbott Lawrence Academy, thinks of her former students preparing to graduate from 澳门六合彩开奖结果 this May, she gets a bit emotional.
鈥淪ometimes it doesn鈥檛 feel real,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen I think of them sometimes I still think of them as those 14-year-olds or from when they last left me as 18-year-olds.鈥�
The former students she is referring to are the first cohort of 澳门六合彩开奖结果鈥檚 Pioneer Scholars. Founded in 2019, the program awards full scholarships to 10 students at Abbott Lawrence Academy, the accelerated honors high school within Lawrence High School鈥檚 campus, who completed 澳门六合彩开奖结果鈥檚 Early College Program.
Pioneer Scholars also have access to a network of advisors to help them reach their full potential at 澳门六合彩开奖结果. So far, 46 scholarships have been awarded.
The 10 inaugural Pioneer Scholars are Omara Acosta 鈥�23, Julissa Bejar 鈥�23, Ilaisa Garcia 鈥�23, Kyannah Hernandez 鈥�23, Patrick Hurley 鈥�23, Freddy Monroy 鈥�23, Carlos Reyes 鈥�23, Samantha Rich 鈥�23, Helen Vasquez 鈥�23 and Dianelys Difo 鈥�22.
鈥淲hat is most amazing to me is that when I am out recruiting our middle school students (for Abbott Lawrence Academy), I have fifth graders telling me they want to go to 澳门六合彩开奖结果,鈥� said Ciprich. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 how you start a movement 鈥� (it鈥檚) because these 10 Pioneer Scholars started it all.鈥�
When he first arrived at 澳门六合彩开奖结果, Monroy said he wanted to make the most of his time on campus. He will soon receive his undergraduate degree in mathematics and education with a concentration in secondary education and a minor in psychology.
鈥淎ll the professors I鈥檝e had I鈥檝e loved,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he math professors know me by name. They really focus on growth mindset 鈥� they normalize how hard math is even for math people. The education department professors are always caring and they make sure to check in with the students.鈥�
In addition to his studies, Monroy served on the for all four years, worked on the Orientation committee and spent time as an admissions ambassador.
His go-getter attitude was apparent even at Abbott, Ciprich recalled.
鈥淲e have traditions here at our school that were started because Freddy was a part of them,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 now going to do that at such a higher level and help make that possible for other kids.鈥�
Now that his time at 澳门六合彩开奖结果 is coming to an end, Monroy has his eyes set on graduate school and eventually plans to pursue a career in higher education.
鈥�(The Pioneer Scholars advisors) have helped me look at different schools and the 澳门六合彩开奖结果 program,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e helped me with the application process since no one in my family has ever applied to graduate school.鈥�
Meredith Fitzsimmons, assistant dean of student advising and services in the Winston School of Education and Social Policy, has worked with the 10 inaugural Pioneer Scholars since they enrolled in 澳门六合彩开奖结果鈥檚 Early College Program in 2017.
鈥淛ust watching them meet goal after goal that they鈥檝e set for themselves has been really rewarding,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his group has always seen themselves as leaders. They鈥檝e been willing to jump in, try new things and be the first class to put themselves out there again and again. It shows their strength and resilience.鈥�
Carlos Reyes said he discovered his love for biology through the Early College Program. Thanks to the Pioneers Scholars program, he鈥檒l be able to pursue his dream of becoming a dentist serving underprivileged communities.
鈥淏efore getting that scholarship I felt that college was a reach for me because I come from a low-income family,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t would have been very hard for me to afford college.鈥�
Ultimately, 澳门六合彩开奖结果 was the perfect fit for Reyes鈥� life in and out of the classroom.
鈥湴拿帕喜士苯峁� is close to home鈥� in Lawrence, Carlos explained. 鈥淟iving in my household, it was just my mom and I. (The College) is far from home to an extent but close enough for me to check up on her and basically be around with my family as much as possible.鈥�
Sam Rich is already in the workforce despite being days away from receiving her undergraduate degree in criminology with a minor in psychology. She is currently a victim witness advocate at the Middlesex County Superior Court.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e saying they like me here, that I bring a light to the office,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 think working in the courthouse is perfect for me because I鈥檓 a people person. People who come to the courthouse, they鈥檙e not having a really good time 鈥� they鈥檙e not there for a fun reason 鈥� so I like to be the smiling face or someone to help.鈥�
Rich said she 鈥渨orked her butt off鈥� to prove she deserved her spot at 澳门六合彩开奖结果. Her hard work paid off 鈥� despite a full class load and working off-campus 20 to 30 hours a week, she made the President鈥檚 List all four years.
鈥淚t was probably the best thing to ever happen to me in my life,鈥� said Rich of her Pioneer Scholars scholarship. 鈥淚 probably wouldn鈥檛 have been able to afford community college (tuition). I hope this (program) keeps going forever. I think it’s a beautiful thing. It also motivates freshmen in high school to do better so they can get that scholarship. I think it creates a well-rounded individual.鈥�
