Please join FOCRLS in welcoming Rhiana from the Mayor’s Program! She’s been helping us with media projects, including a beautiful new FOCRLS flyer and a display promoting our upcoming Faculty Innovation Grants.
We asked her to tell us a bit about herself:
My name is Rhiana. I’m a rising 9th grader and working at FOCRLS this summer through the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program. This is the best job I’ve ever had! (This is my first job ever.) At FOCRLS we’re working on our digital, social, and print media. I’m looking forward to taking the different opportunities there are at CRLS, such as joining Club 4, and I’ve started to prepare for volleyball tryouts. I was born in Cambridge but raised in an immigrant household, so I’m bilingual in Nepali and English. In the future, I’d like to be in the medical field because I’d like to help others and make them feel that someone cares for their health.
Images: Staff lunch at Mother Juice, thumbnails of the new FOCRLS flyer
Members of the CRLS Class of 2024 nominated teachers, guidance counselors, and other staff for being shining examples among educators. FOCRLS designed and framed the certificates, which Principal Damon Smith presented during the commencement ceremony on the first Thursday in June.
Congratulations to our Faculty Distinction Awardees:
Ms. Caroline Berz has taught high school students in the Boston area for two decades. For almost half of that time, she’s been at CRLS, teaching World History to ninth graders and Women & Gender Studies to eleventh and twelfth graders. Additionally, Ms. Berz collaborates with student peer-leaders to deepen and expand consent education, building a safer and more empowered generation. She instills in her students that when they believe in themselves their potential is limitless. One student noted, “In our class Ms. Berz works extremely hard both to educate us on current and past events and to relate them to our own personal experiences in a way that makes us want to create change in our community.”
Ms. Molly Roach has taught English and literature, including Greek Mythology, at CRLS for five years. Her favorite part of her job is seeing students grow into their authentic selves, and she points out that no high school students have ever experienced more personal growth than those who had their first year online, as the Class of 2024 did when they entered the ninth grade in September 2020. Ms. Roach is known for her kindness and patience as well as her energy and enthusiasm. Students are motivated by the joy she radiates while teaching. One expressed, “There were mornings when I wanted to stay in bed, but the thought of coming into Ms. Roach’s English class woke me right up!”
Ms. Anna Considine is originally from Poland, and before joining the CRLS faculty, she had a varied career that included coaching Boston University rowers to championships. As an instructional aide to CRLS’s English Language Learners, she specializes in giving immigrant students the support they need to become confident, eager scholars with strong language and literacy skills. Ms. Anna, as her students call her, is known for her sincere warmth and welcoming smile. One student described her as “incomparable,” and all who nominated her praised her helpfulness. One said, “Ms. Anna always helps me. She always encourages me, and for that I really appreciate her.”
Dr. Eric Wu has been teaching Information Technology and Computer Science in the Rindge School of Technical Arts (RSTA) department at CRLS since 2015. Along with his PhD from MIT, he deeply values the ongoing education he receives from his CRLS students about what it’s like to grow up today. He takes those lessons to heart and brings humor to the classroom. One student commented: “Dr. Wu is the funniest teacher in the building and always super supportive. Most of my best memories of CRLS are from his classes.” Another stated, “Without him, I never would have known what I wanted to do with my life and I probably wouldn’t be going to college. He helped me more than anyone else this school year to prepare for my future, and I will really miss him when I’m gone.”
FOCRLS thanks the awardees and nominating students as well as Principal Damon Smith, Assistant Principal Allan Gehant, and executive clerks Yemisi Oluwole and Rebeca Matos for presenting, organizing, and facilitating the awards.
In 2024, FOCRLS presented a total of nearly $87,000 in higher education scholarships and financially assisted six members of the Traveling Chorus to attend workshops and perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City. FOCRLS also granted a total of $5,000 to faculty members with creative ideas to enhance curriculum, clubs, and services. FOCRLS is a 501c3 nonprofit. For information about the organization’s programs, donating, sponsoring, or volunteering, please visit focrls.org or email info@focrls.org.
Left to Right: Jeanne Martin, Casey Crosby, Friends of CRLS mascot Friendly the Falcon, and Anays Baez
Congratulations to Friends of CRLS’s 2024 Faculty Innovation Grantees! We recently awarded five Faculty Innovation Grants up to $1,000 each to enable teachers, advisors, and other staff members to implement ideas that will energize learning and expand services to CRLS students. The following educators impressed our review committee with their plans and solutions:
Jeannie Martin and Casey Crosby, Teachers in the Special Education Post-Grad Program — “Post Grad Adaptive Kitchen” to create a program where students who have disabilities will learn life skills in an inclusive kitchen using adaptive tools and appliances, empowering them to lead more independent and fulfilling lives.
Anays Baez, Math Teacher at the High School Extension Program (HSEP) — “Math Game Night” to bring joy and awareness through math in the HSEP community by inviting caregivers to engage in problem-solving games with their children.
Left to Right: Friends of CRLS mascot Friendly the Falcon and Lynette Belle
Lynette Belle, Best Buddies Club Advisor —“Spread the Word Inclusion Campaign” to increase awareness about isolation of students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDDs) and promote a more inclusive school environment by launching a ‘Pledge to Include’ poster campaign throughout the school, challenging more general population students to engage with and advocate for students with IDDs.
Dr. Norbert Hootsmans, Math Teacher and Model United Nations Team Advisor — “Cambridge Rindge & Latin’s MUN Team for Everyone” to reduce travel costs to the National High School MUN conferences in New York City for students, particularly those with significant financial concern
Kara Brown and Mary Shinkwin, Athletic Trainers — “Concussion Role Delineation: From Field to Classroom and Back Again” to create and document a concussion management manual for CRLS, including a return to school without a return to field component.
Left to Right: Dr. Norbert Hootsmans, Friends of CRLS mascot Friendly the Falcon, and Kara Brown
We’re honored to be able to help these dedicated educators bring their plans to fruition. These grants are made possible by our donors and grantors. If you’d like to donate to Faculty Innovation Grants, please follow this donation link.>>
We at Friends of CRLS are thrilled to announce that we will present $91,000 in scholarships and awards to members of the CRLS Class of 2024!
The 52 various scholarships and awards are made possible by numerous donors, grantors, and sponsors, to whom we are deeply grateful. Friends of CRLS is also appreciative of all of the previous recipients who have shared their goals, stories, and updates of their successes, showing how deserving and determined they are to make the world a better place. These recipients have been instrumental in the organization’s fundraising.
We welcome three new sponsors: Tarik Gessesse (CRLS Class of 2011), Kathleen M. Kelly, and friends of Larry Rosenberg.
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.
Dachenie, FOCRLS’s Class of 2022 awardee of our “It Takes a Village” Multi-Year Scholarship, is a member of the UMASS Amherst Class of 2026 preparing to attend medical school.
“My main goal in life still remains to be a surgeon, except the one thing that changed is that after arriving at college and after beginning to learn and explore, I also took an interest in humanitarian global aid as well. The ‘It Takes a Village’ Scholarship has helped me with my financial burden and enabled me to get the most out of my college experience for which I am and will eternally be grateful. I am even more blessed and grateful that it will continue to help me financially with the rest of my college career. So far my journey with the goal to increase the statistics of black physicians has not been easy, but actually way harder than expected. Yet, despite the hardships my vision remains the same for this reason. I always remind myself that my future patients need me. After college I plan on going to medical school and continue the journey that will lead me to become a general surgeon. To the donors, thank you for making an impact on my journey and for enabling me the financial support to pave the path for a better future for humanity. For the youth ARE the future.”
Photo courtesy of Dachenie
The “It Takes a Village” Multi-Year Scholarship is sponsored by FOCRLS.
Lenah, FOCRLS’s Class of 2021 awardee of our “It Takes a Village” Multi-Year Scholarship, is majoring in information science at UMass Boston.
“The ‘It Takes a Village’ Scholarship has helped me tremendously with funding college-related expenses, from textbooks to a short study abroad program in Mexico, where I had the experiences of learning about human rights in Mexico and making global connections. I am very grateful for the scholarship, as it has allowed me to fulfill opportunities that have both shaped my knowledge and helped me grow as a person.”
Photo courtesy of Lenah
The “It Takes a Village” Multi-Year Scholarship is sponsored by FOCRLS.
David is our Class of 2019 awardee of the “100 by 100” STEAM Scholarship for Mathematics. He graduated from Brown University in 2023 with a B.S. in computational biology and is now a software engineer at Google.
“The FOCRLS “100 by 100″ Scholarship allowed me to be a lot more at ease during my time at Brown University. This scholarship provided the financial support that I needed so that I would not have to take out loans during my freshman year. Not having to worry about being in debt made my life more comfortable and gave me more time to focus on my studies instead.”
Photo courtesy of David
The “100 by 100” STEAM Scholarships are sponsored by FOCRLS and members of the Cambridge business community.
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.”
Photo courtesy of Danielle
The Aurora M. (Ciccariello) Leydon Memorial Scholarship is sponsored by Jack Leydon and family.
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 for Food & Wine)
The Mary Frances Monti Memorial Scholarship is sponsored by Neil & Kathleen Rosenburg.
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.”
Photo courtesy of Katya
The Mary Frances Monti Memorial Scholarship is sponsored by Neil & Kathleen Rosenburg.
Asif, FOCRLS’s CRLS Class of 2017 awardee of our “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
The “It Takes a Village” Multi-Year Scholarship is sponsored by FOCRLS.
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.”
Photo courtesy of Mikaëla
The Cheri Kamen Memorial Scholarship in the Humanities is sponsored by Ramie Targoff & Stephen Greenblatt.
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
The “100 by 100” STEAM Scholarships are sponsored by FOCRLS and members of the Cambridge business community.
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.”
Photo courtesy of Gassendina
The Elaine Schear “Voice of the First Generation” Creative Writing Scholarship is sponsored by Elaine Schear, Elaine’s friends & family members, and FOCRLS.
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.”
Photo courtesy of Sagyan
The annual CambridgeSeven STEAM award is sponsored by CambridgeSeven, the world-renowned architecture and design firm headquartered in Cambridge.
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
The CRLS Core Values Scholarship is sponsored by FOCRLS.
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
The “100 by 100” STEAM Scholarships are sponsored by FOCRLS and members of the Cambridge business community.
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
The CRLS Core Values Scholarship is sponsored by FOCRLS.
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!
Thanks to your support and the generosity of all of our donors, sponsors, grantors, and volunteers, we’ve been able to present the following:
Forty-eight Scholarships totaling $86,250 to deeply deserving students pursuing education beyond CRLS. The awardees have impressed us not only academically with their A and A+ grades but also with their abilities, aspirations, and achievements across adversity. Thanks to our sponsors and donors, we’re able to support these determined students as they pursue their goals in the fields of medicine, science, computer science, education, engineering, and the arts, to name a few.
Awardees, please be sure to contact info.focrls@gmail.com about claiming your scholarship checks!
Nine Student Travel Fellowships totaling $19,940 for the CRLS trip in April to Puerto Rico. Thanks to our donors, we were able to provide resources to students who were earning, raising, and saving funds for their adventures. By being able to participate in this trip, they broadened their horizons, became immersed in culture, explored the environment, experienced the tropics, built their confidence, and created memories.
Four Faculty Distinction Awards, sponsored by Friends of CRLS and presented by Principal Smith during the graduation ceremony on June 8.We assisted the Class of 2023 in thanking four notable educators among the many who were positive influences during their years at CRLS. History teacher Ms. Rickteyzia Simmons was honored along with three teachers from the English Language Arts department: Ms. Natasha Labaze, Mr. Drew Kreuser, and Mr. Tony Porreca. Dedication, inspiration, kindness, communication, community building, and humor are but a few of these honorees’ qualities appreciated by their grateful students.
Thank you to all of our donors, sponsors, grantors, volunteers, and awardees!
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.
Friends of Cambridge Rindge & Latin School (FOCRLS)’s 2023 Faculty Innovation Grantees (l-r) Leah Gordon (with PASCO cart), Emmanuel Oppong-Yeboah (with FOCRLS mascot Friendly the Falcon), Drake King, Nicholas Yeh, Brenda Divelbliss, Margaret Hans, Allison Wade, Josh Marden, and (front) Brendon Snyder
Friends of Cambridge Rindge & Latin School (FOCRLS) recently awarded their 2023 Faculty Innovation Grants to energize learning and expand services for students at the city’s public high school. Seventeen teachers, club advisors, social workers, and administrators received grants up to $1,000 per proposal, with a total of $9,296 for twelve individually-led and collaborative projects. The grantees, who were notified of their awards on February 1, will implement ideas across an array of courses and programs at Cambridge Rindge & Latin School (CRLS), the Rindge School of Technical Arts (RSTA), and the High School Extension Program (HSEP). See the list of Faculty Innovation Grantees here.
Academic subjects include calculus and AP African American History while events include a poetry festival and a modern dance performance featuring interactive projections. Also among the recipients’ plans are community-building gatherings, social skills development, and prizes for students who submit the top designs for a math department logo.
Physics teachers Leah Gordon, Joel Tenenbaum, and Afrah Farrah will purchase PASCO equipment for students to experiment with gravity and velocity. “Since all 9th-graders take the same course, this grant has the potential to benefit almost 500 students per year,” wrote Ms. Gordon in the collaborators’ proposal. “The material is reusable indefinitely, so it will benefit students every year going forward.”
English Language Arts teacher Brendon Snyder will establish a classroom library for his Comic Studies elective. “Students of different cultural, linguistic, and economic backgrounds are able to converse about, debate on, share an enthusiasm for, and bond over the world of comics,” wrote Mr. Snyder in his proposal. “It’s exciting to see students who are academically high achievers connect with students that have traditionally struggled academically and see them hear and respect each other’s opinions.”
FOCRLS has been awarding Faculty Innovation Grants since 2007, with the recent grantees bringing the total number of recipients to 248. FOCRLS estimates that Faculty Innovation Grants have enhanced the educations of more than 10,000 students over the past decade and a half.
Faculty Innovation Grants as well as the College Scholarships, Student Travel Fellowships, and other awards FOCRLS presents are made possible by contributions from donors, sponsors, and grantors. For more information about FOCRLS, visit focrls.org, email info@focrls.org, or call 857-235-9290.
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.
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.
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