Aidan Patrick Dennis
Elmont Memorial High School, NY

Aidan is currently a senior at Elmont Memorial High School in New York, graduate in June 2015. He maintains a grade point an average of 93.04 over 100 through the entire academic year. He will be attending Babson College in Massachusetts in the Fall 2015, with a proposed major in International Business. Aidan was fifteen years old when he lost both his parents on the same day. But he did not let that tragic event that made him an orphan at a so early age be a deterrent in his pursuit of academic excellence. In a letter of recommendation, here is what the Chairperson of Pupil Personnel Services at Elmont Memorial High wrote: Aiden is a very bright and hardworking young man He has scored exceedingly well on various Advanced Placement Exems and had earned numerous accolades and awards for his academic successes and humanitarian spirit.

While I could continue to expend upon the endless aspects of Aidan’s academic profile and personal characteristics that made him an outstanding candidate for admission to your collegiate institution. I would like to take the opportunity to highlight the depth of his character. In January 2013, Aidan lost both of his parents in a tragic and horrible manner. At that time he was in the 10th grade, the sole child living in the home, as his older brother and sister were away in college. The circumstances were such that the average student may have understandably faltered academically and personally. Aidan did the opposite. He demonstrated great will, determination and resilience, ending the 2012-2013 school year with a 92 average. Aidan is a phenomenal human being with an intrinsic motivation to be successful.

In his letter of intent of the use of this scholarship, Aidan wrote: I am extremely grateful and appreciative to be a recipient of this scholarship. I would like to extend thanks to the Duplessy family for providing this scholarship and for their contribution to the community. By awarding me with the Shani E. Duplessy Memorial Scholarship, my financial burden has been lightened and it allows me to focus on learning in school, not struggling to make ends meet. The generosity of the scholarship has given me inspiration to help others and give back to the community. I intend to use this scholarship to supplement my university costs and push my dream of directing nonprofit organizations.

Sincerely

Cynthia Devendran
Stony Brook University

Cynthia is currently a freshman at Sony Brook University starting in the Fall 2014, majoring in biol¬ogy on the Pre-Dental track. She graduated from Sewanhaka High School in Floral Park, New York in June 2014 with high honor and a GPA (Grade Point Average) of 4.0 over 4.0. During her years at Sewanhaka, Cynthia was involved in a multitude of extra curriculum activities including but not limited to Vice President Model United Nations, President of Senior High Orchestra, Editor in Chief of the Sewanhaka High School Newspaper; just to name a few. Her involvement in her St Boniface community services and beyond was simply exemplary.

In her letter of intent of the use of this scholarship, Cynthia wrote: I am currently a biology major on the Pre-dental tract at Stony Brook University. My goals are to complete undergrad at Stony Brook University and then continue on to dental school of my choice, Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine. As a pre-dent, my goal is to promote awareness of the importance of oral hygiene and health. Receiving this scholarship helps me to alleviate financial weight whilst making the road toward my aspirations easier. The money that I am receiving will help in means of tuition, books, and other financial burdens that I will experience as a full-time college student. The scholarship I am receiving is a constant reminder that I am being rewarded for my accom-plishments through high school. It makes me strive to achieve, in terms of extracurricular activi-ties and academics in university as well. I wish to spread the wealth and make a difference for another person when I am given that chance.

In her acceptance letter of this scholarship, Cynthia wrote:

To the Shani E. Duplessy Memorial Scholarship Fund

Dear Mr. Duplessy

I am writing this letter to accept and thank you for the $6,000.00 scholarship I am being offered. I applied for this scholarship in hope that it would not only help me financially, but also motivation¬ally. Receiving this scholarship reminds me that I am able to do things that I did not think I was able to. Thank you again for choosing me to be a recipient of this scholarship. I appreciate the opportunity you are opening up to me as a freshman at Stony Brook University. One day I wish to do the same as the purpose of this scholarship; give those who are financially struggling and want to make a difference through education.

Sincerely

Cynthia Devendran

Where Is She Now?

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Fabrice Fleurimond
Sewanhaka high School

abrice is currently a senior at Sewanhaka High School in Floral Park, NY maintaining a point average of 92 over 100. He will be attending New York Institute of Technology in the Fall 2015. We received several impressive recommendations on Fabrice behalf. But we are not going to read them to you. We prefer to let you hear Fabrice himself from his personal essay. Here is what he wrote to us:

This is how I see; blackness, blurriness; without covering my eyes, images disappear. How would you feel if someone told you that you would not be able to see the world anymore? When I was in the 7th grade in Haiti I couldn’t see the blackboard. When I told my mother about the problem with my vision, she took me to see the eye doctor who told me that he didn’t know what was going on with my eyes. As a result my mother sent me to and eye doctor in Florida. Unfortunately, this doctor told me that I have an inherited, degenerative disease that causes severe vision impairment and often blindness. After telling me this bad news, he warned me not to let anyone know about my vision. His thoughts were that people might use it to take advantage of me or possibly harm me. After this scary prognosis, my mother sent me to New York for another doctor’s opinion, the diagnosis was the same. However this doctor added that I might be blind by the time I turned 30 years old. My mother made me stay in the US so that I could finish my education. My school at first didn’t want to put me in regular classes not only of my vision disability, but because I didn’t speak English.

To overcome these problems, I decided to work harder in school than everyone else. Working harder and maintaining good grades helped assure my mother that I would be fine, as she was consumed with concerns for my future. When the school administrator realized that I was at the top of my class, I was then assigned Regents and later AP courses. My school counselor told me it was the first time she had seen a student who was in special education make it into advanced classes. I was proud of my accomplishments and now I want to be a role model for other kids with visual disabilities.

Presently I am applying to many colleges and I have a 92 average including AP courses. My goal of becoming a senior and graduating from high school has been achieved. My future goal is to complete college and obtain my Master’s Degree in Math and Science.

In his letter of acceptance of the scholarship award, Fabrice wrote: Your letter informing me that I will receive the Shani E. Duplessy Memorial Scholarship Fund Award has simply overwhelmed me. I was very happy and appreciative to learn that I was selected as a recipient of your generosity. It is with deep gratitude that I accept this award.

I plan to pursue a career in engineering at NYTT, upon my graduation from Sewanhaka high School in June this year. Thanks to you, my goal of obtaining a college degree will be made even more reachable. By awarding me this award, you are lightening my financial burden which will allow me to focus more on the most important aspect of school, learning.

It is difficult to express how much your thoughtfulness means to me. Thank you