AJ’s mother and the scholarship founder, Arminda Baptista, giving her statement | Photo by Comunicas FoundationBy Anqi Zhang
Dorchester resident Alberto “AJ” Monteiro was 21 years old when a criminal shot him to death while getting a haircut just a mile away from home on September 5th, 2017.
AJ’s mother, Arminda Baptista, created the AJ Monteiro Memorial Scholarship Fund in June 2018 in collaboration with the school he went, the Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy (SJPII) in Dorchester.
The AJ Scholarship’s purpose is to support high-quality education of Dorchester youths living in low income, especially those who share similar interests with AJ, according to Mrs. Baptista and Nick Cuomo, principal of SJPII Academy Neponset Campus.
AJ’s murder happened during daylight, and unfortunately is part of the statistics of unsolved murder cases in Boston.
In November 2018, the Dorchester Post partnered with Mrs. Baptista and Saint John Paul II Academy to permanently promote the scholarship on the news website. “I created this scholarship to honor my son AJ Monteiro, his life, and to keep his memory alive, but also help a child continue education at a Catholic school,” said Arminda at the ceremony to launch the partnership.
The second recipient
This year, Ezra Richter was awarded the AJ Monteiro Memorial Scholarship Fund to support his education as a freshman at Boston College High School. He’s also a football player, like AJ.
From Cuomo’s eye, Richter reflects the personality and values of AJ, and that’s the criteria the AJ family outlined – “the spirit of love, peace, and friendship,” said Cuomo.
Chose by teachers, Cuomo, and his assistant principal from their daily observation and overall assessment, Richter stood out among around 20 students in graduating classes.
“We’re very humbled by all the generosity and love provided for these two years,” said Mrs. Baptista. “It’s been traumatic and difficult for us as a family to process. Knowing that we’re not going through it alone means a lot to us.”
Donate to the fund
Donating to the AJ Monteiro Memorial Scholarship Fund will give Dorchester children living in low income the opportunity of an excellent education.
The Dorchester Post invite you to visit the Saint John Paul II Catholic Academy website to donate to the AJ Monteiro Memorial Scholarship Fund or contact Principal Nick Cuomo at [email protected].
Related:
The Dorchester Post partners with SJPII Academy to promote the AJ Monteiro Scholarship Fund
