Last night, we gathered in the auditorium of Woburn High to recognize all of the graduating seniors of this year’s class who are receiving scholarships to assist in furthering their education. It is an absolute honor to be able to present Kevin’s scholarship in person on this special evening. For us, it’s the culmination of all of the hard work and the generosity from all of you from our golf tournament in the fall, and it’s a chance to talk about Kevin, to celebrate him, and to really help someone and give a gift in his honor. It truly is a special night.
We are excited to announce this year’s recipient: Derek Baccari. Derek impressed us in his application with his candidness and sincerity. He reminded us alot of Kevin, sharing his competitive drive and his love for the game. His personality really came through, which is not an easy thing to do on paper. He shared alot about his experiences, importance of family, and plans for the future. When we finally got the chance to meet last night in person, he was kind and gracious, it was an absolute pleasure.
This next little nugget is a coincidence I put together after the fact as I was connecting the dots (or perhaps it’s kismet): some of you WHS alum may remember Mrs. Elanjian, who taught freshman English for many years. She was Kevin’s favorite teacher of all-time, and she also happens to be Derek’s grandmother. Mrs. Elanjian was in attendance at Scholarship Night last night, and was able to see her grandson accept Kevin’s award. It’s just really nice to see things come full circle - all of the years and so much of what she had that she put in to the school system, and that one of her students who called her his Fave - was able to give back to her family as well.
I will add that none of the attendees are notified of the scholarships they are receiving in advance, so it adds a special element to the evening.
It was really wonderful meeting Derek, his parents Loren and Dom, and his family. Derek will be attending UMass Amherst in the fall and is planning on majoring in Psychology with a focus on criminal justice. We wish him the very best and know he will do great things!