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Twenty-nine Adult Learners Honored at Scholarship Ceremony

BOSTON, MA – On August 27 the Office of Boston Mayor Michelle Wu hosted the 36^th Annual First Literacy Scholarship Ceremony at Boston City Hall. The ceremony celebrated the 29 adult learners who were awarded First Literacy Scholarships for the 2025-2026 school year.

Since the Scholarship Program began in 1990, First Literacy has awarded over 600 scholarships to adult learners throughout Massachusetts. Awards are given in recognition of educational achievements and potential, community service, and perseverance in the face of hardship. Eligibility is based on a nomination from the student’s Adult Basic Education program, acceptance to a college or training program, and proof of financial need.

Trinh Nguyen, Chief of Worker Empowerment, and the Director of the Office of Workforce Development (OWD) for the City of Boston welcomed the scholars to the ceremony and congratulated them on their achievement.

“We are proud to recognize the determination, resilience and accomplishments of adults who are recent graduates of Massachusetts Adult Basic Education and English language programs moving on to college or training. You are our future,” said Nguyen. “Your stories demonstrate resilience, determination and the life changing opportunities that education can provide.”

Nguyen, who came to the U.S. as a refugee immigrant with her family in the 1980s, also emphasized the importance of investing in immigrants who will be the leaders of tomorrow. Nguyen encouraged donors, employers, schools, teachers, and philanthropists to step up and support First Literacy in its work to advance educational opportunities for all adults across Massachusetts.

“First Literacy is helping to grow our workforce from frontline staff to health care, to EMTs, to administrative assistants, to doctors, to lawyers, to scientists,” said Nguyen.

First Literacy Scholar alum, Ciro Valiente, also shared his story during the ceremony. Valiente was awarded two First Literacy scholarships, in 2015 and 2016, and served on the First Literacy Board for eight years.

“First Literacy doesn’t just hand out scholarships. They hand out opportunities,” said Valiente. “The support I received from First Literacy helped me turn determination into achievement.”

Ciro fled from his home country in Venezuela after receiving threats for his work documenting human rights violations. When Ciro arrived in the U.S. as a political asylee, he did not know any English, so he enrolled at El Centro Adult Education in Boston while working as a digital media editor, journalist, and video producer for El Mundo. With the scholarship from First Literacy, Ciro was able to attend Bunker Hill Community College and work towards a degree in journalism.

Ciro is now Manager of Marketing and Communications at Latinos for Education and has won two New England Emmy Awards, becoming the first Latino to win for Outstanding Live News Producer.

“First Literacy’s work is possible because of the support of funders across the region who believe that literacy is not just about reading and writing. It’s about dignity, empowerment, and access to opportunity,” said Valiente.

In addition to scholars who were born in the U.S., this year’s scholars hail from: Colombia, Ivory Coast, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, El Salvador, Haiti, Morocco, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Uruguay, West Africa, Peru, Cameroon, and Brazil. Both new and continuing scholarships were awarded at the ceremony.

“This ceremony is more than a celebration—it’s a powerful reminder of the courage and determination of adult learners,” said Terry Witherell, Executive Director of First Literacy. “Each adult learner who receives a scholarship has overcome great obstacles to pursue education, and their achievements inspire all of us to continue breaking down barriers to literacy and learning.”