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Nelvin De La Rosa, a senior at Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, Massachusetts, delivered an emotional speech at the Catholic School Foundation's 33rd annual gala on May 4th, 2023. As a CSF Scholar, Nelvin shared his remarkable story of overcoming adversity and achieving academic success thanks to the support he received from the foundation.

Nelvin began by expressing his gratitude to the audience, which included Cardinal Sean, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Reardon, the Chairs and the Gala Committee, and other faithful supporters of the Catholic School Foundation. He also introduced himself as a senior at Central Catholic High School and a Lawrence native.

Nelvin shared that his four years at Central Catholic were coming to an end, and he would be graduating on May 25th, 2023. While he was happy to move on to the next chapter of his life, he admitted that graduating would be bittersweet because he had made so many great friends among his classmates and had been inspired by his teachers.

Reflecting on his journey, Nelvin shared that he was born in Lawrence to immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic. When he was 10 years old and in fourth grade, both of his parents tragically passed away, leaving him in a difficult situation. But through the grace of God, his four older sisters stepped up to protect and love him, encouraging him to pursue a better future through education.

Nelvin's sisters, who were also immigrants, understood the importance of education in creating a good life, and they helped him enroll in grades 6, 7, and 8 at Bellesini Academy, a Catholic tuition-free middle school in Lawrence. At Bellesini, Nelvin learned about Central Catholic High School and was drawn to its welcoming Catholic community, diverse student body, and well-known reputation as a top college preparatory school.

"Through the grace of God, my four older sisters: Camila, Lily, Rosanna and Yza, they saved me... protected me… loved me…and convinced me that my life could and would be better in the days ahead." - Nelvin

Despite his excitement about attending Central Catholic, Nelvin was worried about the cost. However, he was chosen to be a CSF Scholar, receiving a scholarship from the Catholic Schools Foundation that made his dream of attending Central Catholic a reality. Thanks to the support he received from CSF and Central Catholic, Nelvin has been accepted to multiple colleges, including the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the University of Massachusetts Lowell, Endicott College, and Merrimack College. He will be attending the University of Massachusetts Lowell where he will be studying engineering.

Nelvin emphasized that he would not be where he is today, about to graduate and have these great college choices, without the CSF scholarship and everyone in the room that evening. He expressed his appreciation for the support that he received and credited it with changing his life.

Nelvin concluded his speech by sharing his goal of making a positive impact and a meaningful contribution to others in the world. He thanked the Catholic Schools Foundation for providing opportunities to students like him in Lawrence, a challenging place to grow up. He praised places like Bellesini Academy, Central Catholic, Lawrence Catholic Academy, and Notre Dame Cristo Rey for their commitment to providing quality Catholic education to students.

"I would not be where I am today, about to graduate, and have these great college choices without the CSF scholarship… and everyone in this room tonight: thank you for changing my life!" - Nelvin