Allison, 8th Grade

For as long as Allison Lopez can remember, St. Anselm School has been like family.

It helps, of course, that the 13-year-old’s father, uncles, cousins, and brother attended the school that has been proudly serving children in the South Bronx for more than a century. Her mother, Yahaira, has been a classroom aide at St. Anselm for 12 years – a few years before Allison first started Pre-K there.

“Some of us have had the same principal and the same teachers,” Allison says of her family. “We talk about the experiences that we all share.” Among the stories they fondly remember is when Allison was a baby, the principal of the school held her much like an adoring mother or aunt and then watched her flourish at the school.

“St. Anselm is an amazing school,” Allison says. “They are invested in our wellbeing and success.”

That’s why Allison, who receives the Be A Student’s Friend Scholarship through Inner-City Scholarship Fund, feels safe, supported, and encouraged to grow academically, particularly in her favorite subject areas — science and English Language Arts.

“Reading is my favorite,” she says. “I like learning new vocabulary and reading fiction.”

Her experiences at St. Anselm have been wonderful, she notes, and remain a common bond and conversation piece when the family is together. While the values, traditions, and uniforms have been a constant for generations, the school now uses laptops, smartboards, iPads, and other learning tools that weren’t as prevalent generations before. These days there are far more activities, clubs, and sports than were offered to Allison’s elders.

But there is a constant throughout the years: “It’s home,” Allison’s mom, Yahaira says. “As soon as you walk through the doors, it’s open and inviting.” The fact that Allison is graduating is bittersweet for their family. It’s the end of a lovely chapter, and the beginning of another exciting one as Allison plans to continue her Catholic education in high school. Because of her experiences at St. Anselm, she knows she is ready for this next chapter.

There are students like Allison currently on the wait list to receive a scholarship.
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