Photo courtesy of Boston Public SchoolsFourteen of the thirty-six high school valedictorians from the Boston Public Schools (BPS) honored at the 20th Annual BPS Valedictorians Luncheon are from Dorchester. That means almost half of all the Valedictorians in the entire city of Boston
Mayor Martin J. Walsh, Boston School Committee Chairperson Michael Loconto, and BPS Superintendent Tommy Chang recognized the valedictorians for their incredible accomplishments during a ceremony held at the Boston Harbor Hotel on May 30th, according to a press release from BPS.
“I’m proud of what the class of 2018 says about our city. The 36 scholars sitting before me paint a picture of Boston,” said Mayor Walsh. “Some of you were born in our hardworking neighborhoods. Some of your stories started on the other side of the world. No matter where your stories began, you all represent the incredible promise of this city.”
This year’s valedictorians were born in ten different countries. Nearly half of the valedictorians are “home grown” BPS students, or have attended BPS schools from kindergarten through 12th grade. Forty-two percent were born outside the US. Another 47% will be the first in their families to attend college.
“This event highlights the rich diversity of our city,” said School Committee Chairperson Loconto. “Whether you grew up with a Boston accent, or are a newcomer who learned English as a second language, you are part of the fabric of this community, and you make us proud.”
“These students have all worked incredibly hard to get to where they are now, with such bright futures ahead of them,” said Superintendent Chang. “I’m more certain than ever that the young people of this city are not just the leaders of tomorrow, but the leaders of today.”
Tyler Luong of Boston Arts Academy (BAA) provided this year’s valedictorian’s address.
“Do you want to become a leader after you’ve claimed the top as your own, to know that you’ll be moving forward while others fail and stay behind? Or do you want to lead your peers to the top, make sure that no one gets left behind?” BAA’s top student asked his fellow valedictorians. “This label that we’ve all worked so hard for shows that we are capable of becoming future leaders of our world. So the next time we’re expected to climb a tree, let’s do it together.”
The BPS Valedictorians Luncheon was first held at the Parkman House in 1999. Its success has enabled the event to grow to a larger venue to include BPS families, staff, and partners from Boston’s higher education, business, and philanthropic communities.
Following, brief biographies for the Dorchester valedictorians of the BPS Class of 2018:
- Tyler Luong, Boston Arts Academy
Tyler was born and raised in Boston and has spent his entire academic career in the Boston Public Schools. He is a talented pianist whose passion for the arts has served him well as the top student at Boston Arts Academy. Both of Tyler’s sisters are alums of BAA, and his sister Luna was BAA’s valedictorian in 2014. Tyler has earned a Posse Scholarship to Bucknell University.
- Bismary Taveras Rosario, Boston Community Leadership Academy
Bismary emigrated from the Dominican Republic just two years before arriving at BCLA. Bismary persevered and has since earned a proficiency level of 5.1 out of 6 on the state English Language Proficiency test. She enjoys tennis, volleyball, and dance, and is an avid reader. Bismary’s hard work and determination has earned her a full scholarship to Northeastern University.
- Tania Feliz, Boston Day and Evening Academy
Tania struggled at her previous high school before finding a home at BDEA, where she graduated last April with a perfect 4.0 GPA! Last year, she participated in an internship at Vertex Pharmaceuticals and will do so again this coming summer. This fall, she will study molecular biology at Bryn Mawr College, where she has earned a Posse Scholarship.
- Aleksandr Gritsinin, Boston Green Academy
Alex emigrated from Uzbekistan in 2015 with a minimal understanding of English. After spending a year in UMass Boston’s intensive ESL program, Alex enrolled at Boston Green Academy and has become an integral part of the BGA community. He was a driving force behind the BGA community garden, which ultimately earned him the BIDMC Environmental Champion Student Award. Alex will attend Northeastern University and plans to pursue a career in environmental sustainability.
- Sydney Bussiere, Charlestown High School
Born and raised in New York, Sydney has earned high honors during her three years at Charlestown High. She is a recipient of the Dartmouth Book Award and has completed courses at Wheelock College through the Noonan Scholars program. Sydney’s teachers describe her as a powerhouse ready to change the world with her passion for social justice. Sydney has earned a full academic scholarship to Bowdoin College in Maine.
- Mario Lopes, Dearborn STEM Academy
Mario moved to Boston from Cape Verde in middle school. His teachers describe Mario Lopes as a humble, family oriented young man who is always smiling and helping his classmates. His passions are math, computer science, and soccer. He will attend UMass Dartmouth this fall.
- Brandon Siah, Dorchester Academy
Brandon has been a shining star at Dorchester Academy. His teachers describe him as a role model who consistently puts forth true spirit of caring and motivation to help others. They also say his smile can light up a room. Brandon is already a student at Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology, where he is the first person in his family to attend college.
- Vy Tran, Excel High School
Driven and unassuming, with a thirst for knowledge, Vy is a self-motivated, confident, and competent young lady. Last year, she led her JROTC Academic JV Squad to a first-place finish in her Boston citywide scholastic competition. Vy has also earned a full scholarship to Northeastern University, where she plans to study science or medicine.
- Kaysia Robert, Greater Egleston Community High School
Raised by a single mother, Kaysia was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension when she was 8 years old. Kaysia was determined not to let her illness slow her down, and she successfully completed high school in just three years. Her ultimate plans are to either become a neonatal nurse practitioner or an elementary school teacher. Her next stop is Bunker Hill Community College.
- Carlia Dabel, Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers
Carlia is a bright young woman with a passion for science. She has been a part of Crimson Summer Academy for 4 years. While part of the Vertex Science Fair Mentorship Program, her team designed a pair of glasses that would accurately measure the dimensions of someone’s face to give them a better fitting pair of glasses. Carlia has earned a full scholarship to Northeastern University, where she plans to study biomedical engineering.
- Ardo Ali, Madison Park Technical Vocational High School
Ardo has excelled as a radio and television broadcasting student at the city’s only technical vocational school. She enjoys visual media production, where she can harness the power of storytelling to bring about social and economic change. Ardo has earned 18 college credits through RoxMapp, a program that ensures that all students have the support, experience, and preparation needed to access a high-demand career and post-secondary pathway. Ardo will attend Bucknell University as a Posse Scholar, where she plans to pursue a degree in international relations and business.
- Maryssa Liao, McKinley Preparatory High School
Maryssa is a scholar, an athlete, and an artist. She is an avid runner who has been involved in the Sole Train therapeutic running group. She has also worked with Skanska Construction on the joint mural project between Skanska and the McKinley. This triple threat is headed to Bunker Hill Community College.
- Uyen Chu, John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science
Uyen immigrated to the US with her family from Vietnam in 2008. At the O’Bryant, she serves as the president at her school recycling club while juggling a challenging an array of AP courses. She is also an active member of her Vietnamese community, where she volunteers and translates every weekend at her local food pantry. The first in her family to go to college, she will be attending Tufts University with a full scholarship.
- Kathryn Oliver, Muriel S. Snowden International School at Copley
Kathryn is an avid rower who has spent the last 4 years participating in Row Boston, a rowing program available to all BPS students. She also took advantage of Snowden’s International Baccalaureate Program, and is slated to receive her IB Diploma this summer. Lucky for us, Kathryn isn’t going far. She has earned a full scholarship to Northeastern University.
