Our Work

Every Student Has a Story: Looking Back at the Voices That Inspired Our Galas

Every year at the Annual Building Minds Scholarship Fund Gala, there is a moment when the room grows still.

A student steps up to the podium.
The spotlight shifts.
And suddenly, we are reminded why this night matters.

This year’s Gala theme — “Every Student Has a Story” — celebrates the journeys made possible through your generosity. As we prepare to gather once again, we are looking back at some of the incredible students who have taken the stage before — students like Natalia, whose story continues to unfold in powerful ways.

Because when you support the Catholic Schools Foundation, you are not just funding scholarships.
You are shaping futures.

When Natalia stood on stage as a fourth grader at the Catholic Schools Foundation Gala, she remembers feeling small in front of a very big room.

She was anxious. She was young. She was not someone who saw herself as a public speaker.

And yet, she did it.

“I was really anxious going up there,” she recalls. “But it really helped me get used to public speaking.”

At the time, she spoke about how much she loved her school community, how supported she felt, and how her Catholic education helped her grow. What she may not have realized then was that the confidence she was building in that moment would stay with her long after the applause faded.

Today, Natalia is in eighth grade at St. Theresa of the Child Jesus school. She is thoughtful, academically driven, and already thinking about her future in ways that feel far beyond her years. Looking back, that fourth grade speech was not just a moment. It was a beginning.

Natalia says what she remembers most about the gala was what happened after she stepped off the stage.

“People would come up to me with my mom and shake my hand,” she says. “I was like, who are these people?”

Those handshakes were more than polite congratulations. They were her first introduction to a larger community of people who believed in her education and her future. For a fourth grader, that kind of attention can be overwhelming. For Natalia, it was empowering.

She remembers telling her fourth grade teacher, Miss Mitchell, that she had been asked to speak. Her teacher strongly encouraged her to do it.

“She really assured me,” Natalia says.

Her mom and her older sister were in the audience that night. Natalia says her mom was especially surprised.

“My mom was really surprised because I was never really good at speaking before.”

That moment marked a shift. The shy student who once doubted herself had just addressed a room full of adults and donors with courage. The experience helped her see herself differently.

That is one of the clearest proofs of impact. A scholarship supports tuition. A community builds confidence. And confidence changes how a student moves through the world.

Fast forward to today, and Natalia is thriving academically. Her favorite subject is English, and she is currently reading To Kill a Mockingbird.

“I love that story,” she says.

The themes of justice and courage resonate deeply with her. They have even influenced her own creative work. 

Natalia set an ambitious New Year’s resolution for herself this year. She decided to teach herself Russian.

“I was torn between Russian and Arabic,” she says, smiling. “But I decided to learn Russian, and I am excited to learn another language.”

She is working through apps, books, and the Russian alphabet one letter at a time. It is not an assignment. It is not required. It is curiosity and discipline in action.

That curiosity also extends to science. Natalia has long known she wants to pursue something scientific and is especially drawn to biology. Her current career goal is to become a Medical Science Liaison.

“I always knew I wanted to do something science-y,” she explains. “I’m really into biology.”

Whether she is reading literature shaped by history, learning a new language, or studying science, Natalia approaches her education with seriousness and excitement. She is already thinking about how high school will allow her to step up academically, especially in English and science.

“I’m really excited to go to high school because stepping up in science and in English really means a lot to me.”

For donors, this is impact made visible. A student who values education deeply. A student pushing herself beyond the classroom. A student already imagining a professional future.

When asked what she would say directly to CSF donors, Natalia’s answer is simple and sincere.

“I want to say thank you to them because without them I probably wouldn’t be able to keep going to this school. And this school has helped me in so many ways academically.”

That gratitude is not rehearsed. It is grounded in understanding. She knows her Catholic education has shaped her confidence, her writing, her academic drive, and her dreams.

Her mother remains her biggest supporter, encouraging her to try new things and pursue what excites her. But behind that support stands another layer of belief: the donors who make her education possible.

In fourth grade, Natalia stood on a stage and told a room full of supporters that she loved her school community.

In eighth grade, she is living proof of what that community can nurture.

She is a reader who analyzes literature deeply.
She is a science student with clear professional goals.
She is a young woman teaching herself a new language simply because she can.

Every student has a story. Natalia’s story is still being written. But already, it shows what happens when generosity meets potential.

A scholarship opened a door.
Confidence walked her through it.
And now she is building a future that is entirely her own.