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In 2018, the NRMS was awarded to nine students from New York CIty and Westchester County, New York. Here are some of their stories:
Komal
“I was born in Pakistan, in a Muslim family. My native language was Urdu, I was comfortable speaking in Urdu with my family. Moving out from Pakistan was hard for me I had to leave my home country and go to a country that was different, that practiced extremely different rituals. I was stuck in the middle… Arriving in New York, New York was beautiful and clean. It was intensely dissimilar from my home place….At home, I spoke Urdu because my parents native language was Urdu as they were raised in Pakistan. I was the oldest child and it was my responsibility to learn English.”
Brianna
“Being a Hispanic-American, whose native language was Spanish made growing up a rollercoaster. Entering kindergarten having the most minimal comprehension of English was difficult. Always having to go for extra support classes, due to me always being behind, was because of my language barrier. Always struggling to learn the core concepts of English at school was no consolation, when my parents did not understand it themselves. However, being a senior female just weeks away from walking down the aisle to be a graduate, I have reflected upon how resilient I have become in my level of education. I can say that I am no longer that student who is always behind in their comprehension of materials. Instead,
I am a classmate to which others seek help from, a classmate that is recognized by her intellect. Now I am a proud Guatemalan senior, who is now fully capable of explaining herself in a higher level of thinking.”
Richmond Hill Awards 2018
Michael awarding the 2018 NRMS to Jaycob. Jaycob is graduating from Richmond Hill High School in Queens. He came to the United States from the Dominican Republic when he was fifteen years old.
“It is extremely important for me and my family to do well in this country. I have been accepted to Kingsborough Community College and my focus of study is Health Sciences. This scholarship will motivate me to continue working hard in college. I will be able to focus harder on my studies knowing that I am receiving monetary assistance while going to school…I will be able to help my parents pay for college and this makes me proud because they have helped me with so much.”
Marion awarding the 2018 NRMS to Anmol. Anmol was born in India and moved to the United States in 2014. He will be attending Queens College.
“When I left India, I was very determined to succeed as it was a new beginning for me. It was a critical change in my life because I was in the middle of my education (9th Grade). Just like other children my age, I was pretty clueless about my career and future plans. However, after coming here, I realized that life is not a piece of cake. The real world is not as easy as I thought….My first hurdle was to work on my English skills.”
Marion and Michael awarding the 2018 NRMS to Milena. Milena was born in Ecuador and is graduating from Richmond Hill High School. She will be attending the Borough of Manhattan Community College.
“My parents have instilled the importance of education and have made enormous sacrifices for me and my siblings. I came to the United States with the aim of continuing studying without knowing the language that I now understand….Now I have been presented with the opportunity with this scholarship. Receiving this scholarship will prepare me to inspire progress in society. In my opinion, there is nothing more beautiful than your family to be proud of your accomplishments and to be a positive example for others.”
