Alumni Awardees’ Achievements

posted in: Updates | 0



We at Friends of Cambridge Rindge & Latin School (FOCRLS) have been reaching out to some of our alumni scholarship awardees asking them for college and career updates. We also asked them how the scholarships we presented them were meaningful and helpful.

Ongoing congratulations to all of our awardees who are doing well in higher education, careers, and/or volunteer work! We’re so proud of our scholarship awardees! We’re impressed by their accomplishments and, even more so, for their dedication to making positive changes in the world. We’re grateful we’ve been able to support their goals, thanks to our sponsors and donors.

If you’re a FOCRLS Scholarship awardee>>, we’d love to hear from you! Please email info@focrls.org.



Danielle is our CRLS Class of 2018 awardee of the Aurora M. (Ciccariello) Leydon Memorial Scholarship, which she used toward books for school while an undergrad at Bates College.

“I graduated from Bates College in May 2022, with a major in psychology and a minor in African-American studies and concentrations in identity, race, ethnicity, poverty, inequity, and justice. Currently (2023), I am pursuing my Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology (child and adolescent mental health) at Boston University Wheelock School of Education & Applied Human Development. I am passionate about working with underrepresented youth and hope to aid incarcerated youth in their mental health journeys.”

Ashia, our CRLS Class of 2014 awardee of the Mary Frances Monti Scholarship, holds a BA in Food Studies & Policy Studies from Syracuse University, where she researched components of equitable food systems. Since April of 2023, she has been a food writer for SELF Magazine, promoting delicious, nutritious, accessible recipes and writing about food in cultural celebrations such as Juneteenth. She previously wrote for Food & Wine and other print and digital publications. A food justice advocate, Ashia also has her own online platform, Nourished Palate, where she supports community initiatives and interviews Black visionaries in the food world.

“Each scholarship that I received during my journey entering undergrad, including the FOCRLS one, made a huge impact. Whether it went toward tuition, buying supplies, or textbooks, each dollar represented an investment in my future.”

Photo courtesy of Ashia (in Portugal, where she interviewed a restaurateur, about whom she wrote for Food & Wine)

Asif, FOCRLS’s CRLS Class of 2017 awardee of the “It Takes a Village” Multi-Year Scholarship, graduated in 2021 from Boston University with a degree in computer science. He’s now a software engineer for Chewy, the pet supplies ecommerce company, as well as a mentor through CodePath, a nonprofit dedicated to helping underrepresented students prepare for careers in the tech field.

“I came to the U.S. in January 2016, started in CRLS right away, then graduated in 2017. Coming from an immigrant family, we couldn’t afford the tuition for my college, so, I was very focused on getting as many scholarships as possible. Thanks to CRLS resources, I applied to 20+ scholarships and received 4 of them totaling about $15K, including the ‘It Takes a Village’ Scholarship from FOCRLS. The scholarships helped me tremendously during my time in college. I could focus more on my academics and other extracurricular activities and manage my own expenses rather than worrying about money.”

Photo courtesy of Asif

Mikaëla, our CRLS Class of 2022 awardee of the Cheri Kamen Memorial Scholarship in the Humanities is a member of the Princeton University Class of 2026. She’s developing her commitments to law, languages, equity, and justice.

“At Princeton University, I have had a variety of wonderful opportunities and have joined numerous organizations such as the Princeton Pre-Law Society and Princeton Students for Immigrant Empowerment, the latter of which I am the vice president. I have had such great experiences being able to gain exposure in the world of law and the multitude of ways of helping those who are disadvantaged, such as various translation projects in French and Spanish. My scholarship from Friends of CRLS was used towards my tuition, and it was of great help! I will always be grateful for the recognition, help, and generosity offered by the Friends of CRLS program.”

The Cheri Kamen Memorial Scholarship in the Humanities is sponsored by Ramie Targoff & Stephen Greenblatt.

Photo courtesy of Mikaëla

Ashrafur, FOCRLS’s CRLS Class of 2021 awardee of the “100 by 100” Cambridge Business Community STEAM Scholarship for Engineering, is a member of the Northeastern University Class of 2025.

“The FOCRLS Engineering scholarship helped me out a ton in my first year at Northeastern because it lifted financial pressure off of my shoulders which let me participate in various different activities instead of doing a work-study. I availed the time to try out clubs ranging from TV filming to making free toys for underprivileged youths in Roxbury to partaking in creating an electric car for F1 hybrid racing competition. Now I am actively participating in a volunteering program where we teach elementary and middle school students Lego robotics to pique their interest in STEM and also participate in a club called BAJA which is the same as Electric racing but non-electric. I think that having the time to participate in those activities in my first year helped me find my interests and hobbies. I am very thankful for receiving the scholarship!”

Photo courtesy of Ashrafur

Katya, the 2019 awardee of the Mary Frances Monti Scholarship, is working on her master of social work at the Columbia School of Social Work online advanced standing program on a clinical track with a focus on children, adolescents, and families.

A 2023 graduate of Simmons University, Katya is already a Case Manager at Reimagine Counseling. “This started as an internship for one of my classes, but I stayed on as an employee. They are a counseling clinic based in Quincy, Massachusetts, and specialise in individual, couples, family, and group therapy. I have been with Reimagine for almost a year and a half,” she told us.

“The scholarship I received via FOCRLS has made it so I am able to pursue my master’s and work towards licensure in my field. I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to further my education and am excited to continue to work with and serve those in need.”

The Mary Frances Monti Scholarship is sponsored by
Neil & Kathleen Rosenburg.

Photo courtesy of Katya

Gassendina, the 2019 awardee of the Elaine Schear “Voice of the First Generation” Creative Writing Scholarship, graduated in 2023 from UMass Amherst with a degree in political science & journalism with plans to pursue a career in journalism now and a law degree in the future. 

“The FOCRLS scholarship helped me pay for school. Coming from a low-income household, I knew that it would be hard for me and my family to pay for college. Since I had the scholarship support, I was able to have more time for my studies and other career-related opportunities. The scholarship essentially enabled me to obtain and afford higher education.”

The Elaine Schear “Voice of the First Generation” Creative Writing Scholarship is sponsored by
Elaine Schear, Elaine’s friends & family members, and FOCRLS.

Photo courtesy of Gassendina

Sagyan, the 2019 awardee of the CambridgeSeven STEAM Award, is a 2023 UMass Amherst graduate with a degree in computer science. “After graduation, I am working as a full-time Software Engineer at TD Securities, the investment banking side of TD bank. I had initially interned there last summer and have taken the return offer.” 

“The financial support provided by the FOCRLS scholarship has relieved the burden of tuition fees, textbooks, and other expenses. Moreover, it has given me the flexibility to focus on my studies and explore opportunities such as internships, which have been very meaningful in giving me hands-on experience in my field of computer science.”

The annual CambridgeSeven STEAM award is sponsored by CambridgeSeven, the world-renowned architecture and design firm headquartered in Cambridge.

Photo courtesy of Sagyan

Nellisha, a 2019 awardee of a CRLS Core Values Scholarship, is a 2023 graduate of Howard University. She has accepted a job at CBRE, a global leader in commercial real estate services and investments.

“My FOCRLS scholarship contributed heavily to my freshman year funds. Because of the scholarship, I was able to minimize my debt as a first-year student at Howard and not burden my parents with taking additional loans during my freshman year. I’m very grateful for FOCRLS, and I hope the next scholarship recipient(s) are able to similarly benefit.”

Photo courtesy of Nellisha

Jake, our CRLS Class of 2022 awardee of the “100 by 100” Cambridge Business Community STEAM Engineering Scholarship, is a member of the Northeastern University Class of 2026.

“I’m studying Mechanical Engineering, and I’ve especially been enjoying my Mechanics of Materials class. This course has provided me with a deep understanding of how materials respond to various forces and loads, which is fundamental to my field of study. I’ve also really enjoyed the group projects I’ve had the privilege to collaborate on. My favorite so far has been working on a Plinko arcade game with motorized obstacles. I’m in the process of applying for co-op and will get one by the spring. The FOCRLS Engineering scholarship was very useful for helping with my tuition. My parents and I are very grateful.”

Photo courtesy of Jake

Alex, a 2018 recipient of the CRLS Core Values Scholarship, graduated from Wellesley College in 2022 and is a 2023 Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellow at Johns Hopkins University, studying for a career with the U.S. Foreign Service.

“The Core Values scholarship helped me with my first year of tuition at Wellesley College but it also had an impact on me intrapersonally. I transitioned from high school to college with greater confidence in myself because I knew that someone believed in me by awarding me the scholarship. That little bit of hope goes a long way when making a major life change into uncharted territory.”

Photo courtesy of Alex


If you’re a FOCRLS Scholarship awardee>>, we’d love to hear from you! Please email info@focrls.org.


Donate

CRLS Teachers Honored with 2023 Faculty Distinction Awards

posted in: Updates | 0

For the 17th consecutive year FOCRLS sponsored the Faculty Distinction Awards, with the 2023 recipients bringing the total since 2007 to 68 CRLS staff members honored by students. Members of the graduating class nominated the awardees for having remarkably positive influences over their high school years. FOCRLS produced framed certificates, which Principal Damon Smith presented at the graduation ceremony on June 8 to these beloved teachers:

Ms. Natasha Labaze, who has been an English teacher at CRLS since 2001, earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Tufts University. Students describe Ms. Labaze as “an extremely thorough, thoughtful and, most of all, caring person” who “brightens up my day every single time I walk into her classroom.” One student wrote, “Ms.Labaze helped me believe in myself. She helped me realize I was smart and I was capable of many things.”

Mr. Tony Porreca, who has taught at CRLS for 14 years, is a special education teacher within the English and history departments. He is known for being supportive, collaborative, and dedicated. He has a caring approach to working with and relating to his students as well as their families. By having compassion for all learners and developing authentic relationships with his students, he helps them rise to high expectations.

Mr. Drew Kreuser has been an English teacher at CRLS for nine years. He holds a graduate degree from
Lesley University in special education as well as three degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison: a graduate degree in curriculum & instruction/literacy and undergraduate degrees in history and secondary English education. He works closely with his teaching team to create an inclusive community where all students’ voices are heard and he works to provide relevant and engaging content to honor student voice and choice.

Ms. Rickteyzia Simmons has been an educator at CRLS for six years. In addition to teaching world history, she has created and taught her own course, History of Fashion, utilizing her bachelor’s degree in fashion merchandising from Lasell University. Rickteyzia, who recognizes the transformative impact a good teacher can have on a student’s educational experience, devotes her time at CRLS to fostering meaningful connections with her students.

Congratulations and thank you to these educators for making substantial contributions to the personal growth, social development, and academic success of CRLS students!

Congratulations to our 2023 Scholarship Awardees and Thank You to our Sponsors!

posted in: News, Updates | 0

Friends of Cambridge Rindge & Latin School (FOCRLS) is delighted and honored to be awarding a total of $86,250 in scholarships this year! Scholarship sponsors and reviewers pored over several hundred applications and after careful consideration selected the students who best met the various criteria for each scholarship. The deserving, determined, dynamic recipients include 40 college-bound members of the Class of 2023. Awardees were selected for their academic achievements, educational goals, professional aspirations, essays, and financial need. Reviewers also considered awardees’ extracurriculars, employment, internships, personal growth, and perseverance. Generous contributors made the 48 scholarships possible, with Bristol Myers Squibb being the newest addition to FOCRLS’s roster of sponsors. We are deeply grateful to our sponsors, donors, reviewers, and awardees.

See the list of our 2023 scholarships, sponsors, and awardees here.>>


All photos by Janis Navikas


Learn more about our scholarships, donate, or inquire about sponsoring a scholarship on our Scholarships and Awards Program page here>>

Helping Students Achieve Their Academic Hopes & Dreams

posted in: News | 0

Dear Friends, Families, Alumni, and Neighbors of CRLS,

In this season of thanks and celebration, we also look forward to the new year, with hopes that it will bring happiness and fulfillment. This is particularly true of our CRLS seniors who are applying for college. They look forward to the new year seeking to have their academic hopes and dreams fulfilled. I am writing to ask for your help in nurturing those hopes and dreams.

If you need to be convinced that these students are worthy of your support, you need only to look at the words of this past year’s FOCRLS scholarship recipients. While they clearly have admirable academic and career aspirations, what is particularly impressive and inspiring is how many also want to use the education they are seeking to make the world a better place. 

My academic interests, computer science and social justice, may appear disconnected…. My theory is that social change comes from political action, and coding can influence political action, such as expanding voting access.”

Kaliab, CRLS ’22, Swarthmore College ’26,
and awardee of three scholarships presented by FOCRLS

On the homepage of our website, you can read about Mikaëla whose passion for becoming a lawyer comes from a desire to help people “fight for their freedom, innocence or citizenship,” Michael who wants a career in medicine to treat patients in underfunded and underdeveloped communities, Isabella who is seeking a career in education to work to close achievement gaps, Fanuel who wants to become a financial advisor to help those who struggle with poverty and racism, and Kaliab who, as you can see above, is hoping to use computer coding skills to bring about social change. These are only a few of the inspiring awardees you can read about in our Scholar Spotlights on focrls.org.

We have seen what a critical difference our support has made for our impressive CRLS seniors pursuing their aspirations. We know about the struggles and sacrifices that their families have made in order for them to succeed academically, and we know how great their need for financial assistance is, with the increased economic challenges that our high rate of inflation is creating.

FOCRLS is so proud, because of the generosity of so many of you, of what we have provided for CRLS students this year. We awarded 57 scholarships totaling $81,750 this year, an increase of $10,000 (14%) over 2021. We are pleased to have provided Market Basket gift cards to approximately 300 families struggling to put food on their tables, at a cost of $15,406. We also are currently preparing to make awards totaling approximately $20,000 to help students to participate in the upcoming school trips and to faculty and staff to offer innovative educational projects. Visit our website focrls.org for more info.

With your generous support, we can do even better this year! You can enjoy this holiday season and look forward to the new year with the wonderful feeling of knowing that you have helped CRLS seniors to realize their goals of obtaining a good education, achieving a successful career, and making the world a better place. I ask that you give more generously than ever! 

Please donate here>> (automatic recurring monthly gifts are especially appreciated) or mail your check payable to Friends of CRLS to: FOCRLS, P.O. Box 391541, Cambridge MA 02139.

I thank you in advance for your generous contribution to help make it possible for our CRLS students with limited financial resources to realize their academic and social justice hopes and dreams.

Wishing you a joyous holiday season and a fulfilling and healthy new year.

Gratefully,

Jamie Sabino
President, FOCRLS Board of Directors

You might be able to double your donation!
Please look here to see if your employer will match your gift.>>

To learn more about Friends of CRLS,
our programs, volunteering, donating,
sponsoring a scholarship, or involving your business,
please visit focrls.org, email info@focrls.org, or call 857-235-9290.

Faculty Innovation Grantees Announced for 2019

posted in: News | 0

Congratulations to our 2019 Faculty Innovation Grantees! These CRLS teachers and advisers will be energizing education with a little help from Friends of CRLS. Grants are up to $1,000 each to fund these projects. Our total number of grantees since 2007 is now 205.

  • David Figueroa, Teacher, ELL Department (pictured above) — “The Common Ground through Dance Initiative” to provide workshops led by Jean Appolon, director of Haitian contemporary dance company JAE, addressing themes of identity through dance and movement.
  • Alvaro Amaral and Shantu Salvi, Health and Wellness Teachers — “Development of Nutrition Education Curriculum with Healthy Foods” to make the Nutrition course in the wellness department more skills-based and engaging by introducing students to new foods and new ways to prepare food.
  • Sandra Cañas, Enroot Program Director, and Juan Casillas, Faculty Latino Club Adviser — “African American and African Caribbean Showcase / Latino Club” to bring performers to CRLS to showcase the different music and dances from Afro Caribbean cultures at an event organized by students.
  • Brett Cramp, Drama Teacher — “Guest Artist Theater Maker & Choreographer” to collaborate with dancer/choreographer/actor Junior Cius, a CRLS alum, on an original physical theater piece.
  • Vera Duarte, Teacher-in-Charge, ELL Department — “Bringing the Prom Experience to Immigrant Youth” to provide half-price prom tickets to English Language Learners so money is no barrier to immersing themselves in the CRLS community.
  • Charlotte Dumont, Teacher, ELL Department — “CRLS Department of English Language Learners Community Building Project” to foster a sense of belonging in the school community by presenting CRLS t-shirts and hoodies as prizes and awards to deserving students at ELL events.
  • William McDonald, Biology Teacher — “Antibiotic Resistance Lab” to give students the opportunity to witness evolution in real time over the course of two weeks using current lab researcher techniques. 
  • Emmanuel Oppong-Yeboah, 11th Grade English Teacher — “CRLS Open Mic + Poetry Series” to invite local poets to share their craft, working towards creating a youth-centered space for expression.
  • Drew Pierce, Math Teacher at HSEP — for students to spend 3 days exploring the trails and learning about environmental science, ecology, culinary arts, and leadership at the Noble View Outdoor Center in Russell MA.
  • Ivan Stefanov, Chorus Teacher, A Cappella Adviser — “A Cappella Guest Artist” to invite producer Evan Linsey to work with CRLS a cappella students in learning techniques characteristic of collegiate groups.
  • Laura Umbro,  Music Teacher — “CRLS Chamber Music Collaboration” to invite chamber music professionals from Longy School of Music and Radius Ensemble to perform, facilitate master classes, and  coach student musicians.
  • Susie Van Blaricum, Adviser to CRLS Student Government Junior Representatives — “Junior Prom” to provide a more cost effective dance for 11th graders, with a large number students involved in planning.