On July 21st, Children’s Scholarship Fund New York (CSFNY) alumni, parents, and donors gathered to celebrate CSF alumni success at the Princeton Club. The night was a chance to hear about the experiences of our recent high school graduates who received CSF scholarships in elementary and middle school and applaud their achievements.
Every single one of our CSF alumni had a unique story to share with guests. For example, we had Willy Luperon, who is passionate about spoken poetry and wants to start his own online publishing company. He is headed off to St. John’s University to study computer science. And Cathedral High School valedictorian Mary Zhuo Ke discussed her love for architecture. Mary will be starting her freshman year at the University of Pennsylvania this fall, and plans to study bioengineering.
Many parents of our current and former CSF Scholars attended also. Marie Bathelmy, parent of CSF Scholar Gabriel, told the guests, “The Children’s Scholarship Fund makes a real difference for families like mine and so many others, including all the scholarship alumni you see here tonight. They literally change lives by giving more children access to scholarships,” adding, “In my opinion, CSF is an investment program. For some families, this is their chance to break the cycle of poverty and truly chase the American dream.”
CSF Alumna Julissa Tejeda echoed Marie’s sentiment in her speech, saying, “I want to say thank you to the supporters who make it possible for children to attend schools where they can receive a quality education. You took a risk by investing in my future. If you hadn’t taken that risk, I wouldn’t have had this opportunity. And I wouldn’t be taking a risk on myself.” Julissa is now entering her sophomore year at Columbia University, where she is studying civil engineering.
The rest of the alumni present were all equally grateful for their CSF scholarships and motivated to succeed in their own chosen fields. CSF Alumnus Andrew Fernandez’s aunt, Candida, told us, “He is a kid from Corona. He is from a neighborhood where you don’t hear about successes like him. He is doing amazing and we are so proud.” Back when Andrew was in elementary school, Candida researched scholarships so that he could receive a better education and came across CSFNY. Now, Andrew is studying to be a nurse at New York University.
As the night went on, CSFNY supporters, alumni, and parents chatted enthusiastically, sharing laughs and advice for the students. Guests were impressed by the talent and determination the students expressed. CSF President Darla Romfo spoke on behalf of everyone when she said, “This is a great group of young adults and I hope that everyone here—supporters and students—knows they are part of something very important with lasting significance.”
Good luck to all our CSF alumni who are heading to college this fall. You have already made us very proud! And thank you to all the supporters who make these success stories possible!