July 4, 2019
Eight Dorchester students are among the 12 Red Sox Scholars selected to receive $10,000 scholarship grants from the Red Sox Foundation this summer. The students — a group of 13 seventh graders attending Boston schools— were introduced at a pregame ceremony before the Red Sox-Toronto contest on June 23.
The programming for the class of scholars focuses on participation in community service activities, on encouraging strong academic habits, and on navigating the high school application process. As the scholars advance through high school, the focus of the program shifts to preparing them for job opportunities and the college application and financial aid processes.
In college, the Red Sox Foundation connects with the scholars to determine their scholarship disbursement schedule, prepare resumes, and position themselves to succeed post-graduation.
The Dorchester scholarship winners are:
• Blessing Adedji, 14, an honor roll student at Brooke Roslindale Charter School with a passion for dance and spoken word. She is involved in her church community;
• Ayden Cardoso, 13, a “student ambassador” and honor roll student at Boston Collegiate Charter School. He enjoys playing baseball and soccer and performs in musicals including ‘Beauty in the Beast’ and ‘Cinderella’;
• Jaleel Cardoso, 13, another scholar with honors from Boston Collegiate Charter School who serves as a ‘student ambassador’ with many other leadership roles in the school. He has a passion for theatre and music.
• Alyssa Mascarenhas, 13, gets straight A’s at the John D. O’Bryant School and is an active member of her church. She also mentors children at a youth camp and aspires to start her own business after graduating from college;
• Naimbi McKibben-Mills, 13, attends Martin Luther King Jr. K-8 School and has a passion for dancing and the arts. She is on the honor roll and has spent years learning ballet, tap, and jazz dances. She is interested in modeling and fashion, but after college wants to become a computer hardware engineer.
• Jordan Michel, 13, has perfect attendance and Honors grades at the McKinley South End Academy. He is a member of the Boys and Girls Club where he participates in various social and athletic activities;
• Arianny Romas Rondon, 13, goes to STEM Academy. She prides herself on her strong work ethic, which is evident through the many academic achievement awards she has received. She also participates on the school’s volleyball team, swim team, step team, and is a part of the reading club;
• Tyra Swaby, 14, goes to Boston Teachers Union K-8 Pilot School. She received ‘Student of the Month’ and ‘High Honor Roll’ awards throughout her academic career. She is the publicity manager for the Literary Magazine Club, promoting its contributors’ work throughout her school community.