On an unassuming Tuesday morning, Ánimo Jackie Robinson Charter High School’s counselor Xavier Lovo summoned three high school seniors to his counselor office. The students, trying their best to hide their anticipation, marched steadily to Lovo’s office and knocked on his door. Lovo, counting down from three, eased it open.
“Surprise!” Lovo exclaimed, as he held a “Dell Scholar” poster above his head. Behind him, under another congratulatory poster, were counselors Landy Gutierez and Daveon Logan, who were both equally as thrilled. The students stood awestruck before connecting the counselors’ posters to their placement as Dell Scholars.
The Dell Scholarship is a prestigious award presented to the top 500 student finalists in the nation. This year, the Susan & Michael Dell Foundation named Alvis Chavez, Diego Sanchez and Martha Paredes among Dell Scholars at Ánimo Jackie Robinson, and awarded them each a $20,000 scholarship, a Dell laptop, textbook credits, and exclusive access to select academic resources and mentorship opportunities.
The students hardly concealed their excitement when the counselors handed the seniors their official Dell Scholar letters, and embraced each of them in celebration.
“I feel like picking a college won’t be hard now,” Paredes said, who plans to major in a science discipline to become a veterinarian. “Because now I know I have financial support. Now I can choose the right college for me.”
Chavez, who has his sights on majoring in computer science, is thankful for the support he has received from Ánimo Jackie Robinson. “Every single person—I mean from the person that you come in and greet to the specific person who helps you for the scholarship— has helped me in some way,” he said. “I appreciate the sense of welcoming that you get from this school and the help they give you to apply for this program.”
Lovo said he is extremely proud of his students, and grateful to serve in this capacity. Though, at the core of his works, he believes that Ánimo Jackie Robinson is built to empower these students to be successful in all of their academic endeavors. “It’s the consistency at Ánimo Jackie Robinson that pushes our students forward. Our ninth grade students see our seniors, and they see them getting into Ivy League schools, and we always announce these achievements,” Lovo said. “Our students know that there's plenty of people here that are going to help them out throughout that process. ”
Last year, 13 Green Dot Public School seniors across our 19 schools were selected as Dell Scholars among a pool of 500 candidates. At Green Dot Public Schools, we’re committed to preparing all students for college, leadership, and life. Across our network, our schools provide students with the necessary support to unlock their potential to succeed, and to inspire the next generation of students.
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