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From YouTube: First Literacy Scholarship Awards Ceremony
Description
Mayor Walsh joins leaders of the First Literacy Program in the Eagle Room at Boston City Hall, to award scholarships to adults who have either completed literacy programs and are going to higher education or have completed one year of college and are "continuing scholars."
A
B
So
whoo
good
afternoon,
we're
just
gonna
jump
right
in
my
name
is
sky
Morrison,
creamer
I'm,
the
executive
director
of
first
literacy
welcome
to
our
2018
scholarship
ceremony.
This
is
a
very
special
event.
It's
actually
our
favorite
event
of
the
year.
It's
our
honor
and
privilege
to
support
hard-working
individuals
who
are
striving
to
make
a
better
life
for
themselves
and
their
families
through
education.
We
are
awarding
college
scholarships
to
22
students
today
sharing
in
their
success
our
family
members,
teachers
and
advisers,
as
well
as
first
literacy
board
members
and
friends
to
the
scholars.
B
B
B
It's
such
an
amazing
achievement
for
adults
who
are
working
jobs
and,
in
many
cases,
raising
families.
We
are
awarding
two
special
scholarships
in
memory
of
individuals.
Who've
made
a
lasting
difference:
first
literacy
and
education
in
the
City
of
Boston,
the
Mayor
Thomas
Menino
scholarship,
honors,
mayor
Menino's,
commitment
to
adult
education
in
Boston
and
the
William
Berman
scholarship
recognizes
former
board
member
mr.
Burman's
years
of
dedicated
service
to
first
literacy
and
his
love
of
learning
throughout
his
life.
Our
scholarship
program
is
supported
by
gifts
from
the
Hamilton
company,
Bank
of
New,
York,
Mellon
and
Eaton.
B
Vance
management,
as
you
can
see
from
the
program
mayor
Walsh,
will
speak
followed
by
a
scholar
and
Bunker
Hill
college
community
college.
Graduate
Wilkin
genius
welcome
we'll
be
starting
Northeastern
University
in
the
fall.
Thank
you
so
much
and
congratulations
on
your
success
after
Wilkins
remarks.
First
literacies,
director
of
programs,
Lenore
Valero,
will
introduce
each
scholar
when
your
name
is
called.
Please
come
up.
Accept
your
certificate
from
Mayor,
Walsh
and
you'll.
C
C
Congratulations
to
all
you!
The
22
graduates
we're
here
today,
it's
exciting
day
in
the
city,
you've
earned
you've,
earned
the
scholarship
through
your
hard
work,
you're
following
your
dreams
and
you're,
an
inspiration
to
me
and
to
the
people
of
the
city
of
Boston
and
also
to
your
family.
The
thing
that's
amazing
about
all
of
you
is
graduates.
Many
of
you
are
raising
your
own
children.
Some
of
you
are
caring
for
your
elderly
parents.
Some
of
you
have
overcome
hardships
and
trauma
political
violence,
domestic
abuse,
illness
and
substance
use.
C
C
So
alcoholism
is
part
of
my
story,
so
the
challenge
is
that
people
have
and
they
overcome
is,
will
actually
make
you
stronger,
stronger
as
individuals
and
as
far
as
as
far
as
getting
your
degree,
your
scholarships
today,
but
advancing
your
degree
is
so
important.
It's
never
stop.
There's,
never
a
good
reason
to
quit.
There's
an
opportunity,
even
if
you
take
one
or
two
class
at
a
time,
just
continue
to
push
down
that
road,
because
that's
how
I
had
to
got
my
degree.
C
I
literally
took
one
or
two
class
at
a
time
where
I
was
going
and
going
and
going
and
in
my
head
I
can't
tell
you
the
amount
of
times
when
I
pulled
up
to
school
and
I
parked
my
car
and
as
in
the
car
and
as
the
baton
in
my
head
should
I
go
in
or
should
I
leave
shy,
debate
to
go
in
I,
leave
and
I.
Think
I
quit
college,
probably
about
three
thousand
times,
but
I
didn't
and
I
continue
to
move
forward.
I
know
many
of
you
in
this
room
were
immigrants.
C
A
lot
of
some
of
you
are
first
generation
like
I.
Am
you
are
the
proof
in
the
story
why
America
needs
immigrants
why
we
should
make
life
easier,
not
harder
for
immigrants
in
the
City
of
Boston
Boston's
immigrant
population,
28%
of
the
people
that
live
in
the
city
of
Boston?
Twenty-Eight
percent
were
born
in
another
country,
your
kids,
you
and
your
kids
are
the
future
to
our
city,
and
you
know
it's
gonna
be
strong
resilient
future.
As
long
as
we
continue
to
move
forward,
your
career
goals
are
also
a
picture
of
our
economy.
C
Some
of
you
are
gonna,
be
teachers
teaching
young
kids.
Some
of
you
are
gonna,
be
nurses,
taking
care
of
our
elderly.
Some
of
you
gonna,
be
family
counselors,
helping
families
when
they're
in
the
most
difficult
times
in
their
life,
so
we'll
sit
down,
explain
and
walk
walk
through
a
situation.
Some
of
you
gonna,
be
in
physical
therapy,
getting
people
back.
Some
of
you
gonna
go
into
medical
technology,
cooking
accounting,
arts
and
science
and
technology.
All
some
may
be
in
the
building.
I
see
a
District
Council
35
person
here
painter
are
you
in
the
Union?
C
That's
good,
so,
in
the
in
the
trades
building
our
buildings
I
see
that
you're
gonna
be
helping
people,
regardless
of
what
you
do
in
your
career,
you're
gonna
be
healing
people,
you're
gonna
be
inspiring
people
for
many
years
to
come.
You're
also
gonna
be
helping
your
family
and
helping
you
raise
a
family
and
understanding
those
of
you
that
are
first
generation
in
this
room.
Today,
your
parents
that
came
before
you
most
of
them
grew
up
in
very
difficult
situations
where
they
were
poor.
They
didn't
have
anything
and
a
lot
of
people
came
to
this
country.
C
Those
of
you
that
immigrants
in
this
room
don't
forget
why
you
came
to
this
country,
don't
let
the
noise
of
what's
happening
in
Washington,
discourage
you,
because
that
noise
will
be
over
in
two
years,
I
hope
and
we'll
be
moving
on
in
different
ways,
but
understanding
that,
no
matter
what
challenges
you
face
right
now,
education,
most
of
you
when
you
left
your
home,
left
far
worse
challenges,
and
you
came
here
under
five
difficult
circumstances.
So
remember
that,
and
you
proved
that
community
community
college
is
a
pathway
to
success.
C
As
I
told
you
about
my
career,
so
my
career
as
I
graduated
high
school
I
went
to
college
I
didn't
get
a
name
where
I
wanted
to
go
so
I
went
to
a
community
college
for
you.
I
went
to
quincy
junior
college
at
the
time,
and
I
was
in
there
for
a
year
and
that
year
I
was
in
Quincy
junior
college.
I
realized
I
could
do
the
work,
because
I
didn't
think
I
was
capable
of
doing
the
work
and
I
realized.
C
I
could
do
the
work
I
transferred
into
Suffolk
Suffolk
University
I
went
there
for
one
semester,
that's
when
I
decided
to
drop
out,
but
I
had
the
foundation
that
was
important,
so
I
just
want
to
thank
everyone.
Thank
all
the
scholars.
You
should
be
proud
of
yourself
today.
This
is
an
exciting,
proud
moment.
It's
a
sense
of
accomplishment
and
you
on
your
journey.
So
just
remember
this
feeling.
So
when
you,
when
you're,
going
to
class
next
semester
and
you're
like
I,
don't
want
to
do
this
anymore.
C
Think
about
the
feeling
you
had
today
think
about
that
happy
feeling,
because
that
you're
happy
today,
just
I
could
promise
you
this.
When
you
walk
across
the
stage
at
your
college.
To
get
that
degree
you
you'll
be
filled
with
so
much
excitement
and
energy.
You
won't
even
know
what
to
do
so
again
to
all
of
you.
Congratulations
to
first
literacy
I
want
to
thank
you.
I
want
to
thank
you
for
your
great
work.
C
This
organization
has
awarded
over
nearly
500
scholarships
over
the
years,
so
it's
so
important,
I'm,
proud
to
be
part
of
it
and
I'm,
proud
too.
God
bless
you
and
I'm
proud
to
meet
all
the
incredible
scholars
that
are
here
and
I
wish
you
all
the
best
and
I
just
want
you
to
know
that
you'll
always
have
a
friend
and
the
supporter,
and
somebody
cheering
you
on
in
me.
Thank
you.
D
D
Was
nervous
to
be
here,
but
when
I
came
here,
I
stare,
oh
wow,
that's
family
I,
don't
have
to
be
nervous
anymore.
Yeah,
there's
no
words
which
mean
how
happy
I
am.
How
grateful
I
feel
to
be
here.
Take
your
first
literacy
for
having
me
in
front
of
this
beautiful
people
and
brave.
Thank
you.
I
am
the
fifth
of
six
siblings
I
come
from
one
of
the
poorest
country
in
the
world,
but
my
mother
was
a
very
hard
worker
mother.
D
No
one
in
my
family,
which
college
no
one
I
am
free
for
the
six
siblings
like
they
said
in
United.
States
have
the
first-generation
college,
unfortunately,
but
I
hope
my
kids.
They
are
not
going
to
say
that.
Thank
you.
Some
of
my
siblings
are
graduate
high
school
and
some
are
not
because
the
little
money
that
my
family
Ernest
specially
my
mom
was
not
even
enough
for
basic
things,
how
we
are
going
to
pay
for
school.
D
D
It
was
in
1997
when
I
finished
elementary
school,
I'm,
always
being
a
motivated
person.
Even
when
I
was
a
kid.
I
always
knew
that
education
is
the
only
thing
that
can
change
my
life,
but
at
the
time
I
did
not
have
too
many
options.
The
only
one
that
I
have
go
to
the
only
public
school
or
not
go
to
school.
D
D
Fortunately,
I
got
accepted.
I
was
one
of
those
120
student
struggling
doing
seven
years
for
my
education,
I
finally
obtained
my
high
school
diploma.
Now
I
am
ready
for
another
challenge:
go
to
college.
It
was
in
August
2005
when
I
finished
high
school.
There
was
no
college
in
this
city
where
I
was
born.
I
talked
to
my
mother,
I
told
her
that
I
didn't
want
to
stay
here,
like
my
other
boarders
cannot
go
to
college.
She
asked
me
if
I
had
a
plan,
because
she
didn't
know
anything.
D
D
Were
they
have
scholar
of
the
only
public
school
there
I
decided
to
move
to
port-au-prince
without
any
plan
on
how
I'm
going
to
college
I
said
when
I
get
there,
I
figure
it
out
when
I
get
there
in
September
I
graduated
high
school
in
August
and
I
get
there
in
September
I
could
not
apply
for
the
public
school,
the
public
university,
the
only
one
we
have
in
Haley,
because
I
came
after
the
dead
like
that.
I
went
to
a
private
university,
but
I
didn't
have
money
to
pay.
D
I
worked
for
six
months,
save
that
money
use
that
money
to
pay
the
next
semester.
What
I
did
I
worked
at
the
campus
taking
care
of
the
soccer
field?
Flowers
I
did
everything
and
I'm
not
I
were
just.
I
I
admitted
at
this
school,
but
I'm,
not
gonna,
study
for
classes,
I'm,
just
working
and
saved
that
money
used
that
money
to
pay
for
the
next
semester.
D
When
I
resisted
for
the
next
semester,
I
can
pay
only
for
three
classes,
still
studying
still
working
things
were
getting
harder
and
harder.
It
became
impossible
for
me
to
keep
studying
being
a
student
in
Haiti
at
that
period
was
very
rough.
My
life
was
in
danger.
Some
crazy
stories
were
happening
where
I
had
to
leave
the
country
to
save
my
life.
I
moved
to
Mexico
in
2008,
with
a
group
of
friends
to
start
a
new
life
and
fight
an
opportunity
for
a
better
education,
which
has
always
been
my
goal
while
living
in
Mexico.
D
You
know
the
strong
sad
story
happened
in
forced
me
to
come
here
to
the
u.s.
at
the
beginning.
My
life
was
not
easy
in
the
u.s.
I
didn't
speak,
English
I
didn't
have
anybody
to
help
me
out?
I
could
not
even
go
out.
First
I
didn't
know
where
to
go
and
it
was
freezing
outside
a
lot
of
snow
in
the
house
where
I
was
living.
There
was
another
Haitian
guy
who
talked
to
me
about
an
organization
that
helps
immigrant
with
job
training,
application
for
work
permit
and
to
get
a
job.
D
Thank
you
and
I
got
my
first
job
six
months
later
after
being
here
in
America
and
Kim,
and
a
restaurant
in
Cambridge,
it
was
the
best
job
ever
I,
built
more
so
without
paying
a
team.
After
three
months
working
at
this
crystal
I
got
a
second
job
hats
at
a
supermarket,
and
just
a
year
after
six
months
working
in
the
u.s.
I
decided
to
go
back
to
school.
Some
people
who
I
talk
to
about
this
idea
said:
how
are
you
going
to
do
that?
How
are
you
going
to
pay
for
your
school?
That's
impossible.
D
School
is
not
for
you.
You
just
came
in
this
country.
Even
people
who
have
been
here
for
20
30
years
cannot
go
to
school
and
you
have
been
here
just
for
a
year
and
you
were
thinking
about
go
to
school.
You
don't
even
know
this
system,
you
don't
even
know
the
American
system
and
I
said.
That's
why
I
were
to
go
to
school.
To
learn
in
my
job
in
Cambridge,
I
talked
to
my
manager
about
that.
As
I
asked
him
to
change.
My
work
schedule
was
very
excited.
A
D
That's
why
you
are
here
guys,
because,
firstly,
there
I
see
what
to
see
you
in
school.
I
went
to
a
bridge
to
college
program
for
another
six
month,
Algeria's,
that's
where
the
magic
happened
and
I
got
admitted
at
Bunker,
Hill,
Community
College.
Now
the
big
question
comes
how
I'm
going
to
school,
how
I'm
going
to
pay
Sharon
you're!
Here
you
remember
the
story.
A
lot
of
thing
happened:
I
got
mad.
A
lot
of
thing
happened:
an
army
father
of
two
kids.
D
At
that
time
they
were
three
DS
and
one
year
old,
based
on
my
ignition
status.
I
was
not
eligible
for
financial
aid
for
anything,
but
has
the
name
says:
first,
literacy
was
the
first
to
step
up
with
me
and
to
assess
me
economically
to
go
to
college
in
the
u.s.
to
me.
That
was
a
life-changing
and
surprising.
D
Someone
who
doesn't
know
me
and
doesn't
expect
anything
in
return
for
me.
What's
to
pay
for
my
school
I
have
never
seen
something
like
that.
People
at
first
literacy
were
eager
to
help
you
and
you
were
part
of
it
Greg
imagine
two
years
ago
how
how
was
my
English
even
now
after
two
years
college,
my
English
is
still
bad
I.
Think
two
years
ago,
when
I
was
when
I
first
met
with
them
for
the
interview
they
did
not
understand
me.
They
just
wanted
to
help
me.
D
D
Another
those
thing
are
big
for
me.
Maybe
for
you
it's
nothing
because
you
know
they
motivate
me
a
lot
because
of
first
literacy,
I
have
an
associate
degree
in
business.
I
knew
calculus,
I,
know
a
lot
of
accounting
concept.
I
have
computer
skills,
I
have
a
lot
of
thing
and
today
I'm
proud
to
say
that
I
stood
at
one
of
the
prestigious
universities
in
the
world,
Northeastern
University,
where
I'm
going
to
continue
for
a
Bachelor
of
Science
in
finance
in
accounting
management,
like
Earl
Nightingale
says
we
become
what
we
think
about.
D
D
Sometimes,
when
I
was
a
banker
here,
I
sleep
three
hours,
four
hours,
I
was
working
just
got
out
from
work
at
2:00
a.m.
homework.
I
finish
at
6:00
a.m.
my
wife
said
it's
time
to
go
to
bed,
no
I
have
one
work
to
do.
Nobody
will
forgive
you,
nobody
will
forgive
you
at
Bunker,
Hill,
it's
a
nice!
Go
it's
easy!
If
you
wanted
to
make
it
easy,
nobody
did
teach
I,
don't
understand.
If
you
don't
speak
English,
they
don't
care
about
that.
D
Yeah,
don't
waste
your
time!
Successful
people
have
24
hours
and
we
do
too.
If
someone
like
me
can
do
it,
you
can
do
it
better
than
me.
People
will
always
tell
you
it's
impossible.
Remember
what
Nelson
Mandela
said.
Everything
is
always
impossible
until
someone
desert
today,
you
are
the
first
one
who
are
going
to
do
it
today.
You
have
the
pain
in
your
own
right,
your
story.
Thank
you.
So
much.
A
E
Just
want
to
say
Missy
Missy
well,
thanks
for
a
wonderful
speech
and
I
want
to
thank
mayor
Walsh
for
his
support
of
immigrants
and
adult
learners,
and
we
really
appreciate
your
leadership
role.
Okay,
so
I
have
the
pleasure
and
the
honor
of
awarding
the
certificates
the
scholarship
certificates
to
both
the
returning
dollars
from
last
year
and
the
new
scholars
from
this
year
and
so
to
all
of
you
all
of
the
scholars.
New
and
returning
I
would
like
to
say:
felicitously,
honest
pardon,
Taha,
Nina,
to
her
sake.