Six Boston Residents to be Honored at Literacy Scholarship Ceremony

On Wednesday, August 27, 2025, the City of Boston Worker Empowerment Cabinet will host the 2025 First Literacy Scholarship Ceremony at Boston City Hall. The ceremony will celebrate 29 adult learners who were awarded First Literacy Scholarships for the 2025-2026 school year. This year, six Boston residents will be honored: Ana Maria Garcia, Angelina Reyes, Emani Ruiz, Luis Marin, Maria Davila, and Mury Maxwell Saintil Louis.

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 will once again be featured as the keynote speaker for the ceremony. Nguyen serves as the Chief of Worker Empowerment and the Director of the Office of Workforce Development (OWD) for the City of Boston. As the OWD Director, she launched initiatives such as the Tuition-Free Community College Program, the Greater Boston American Apprenticeships, and career pathways leading to living wage jobs in the healthcare, clean energy, and construction sectors.

Like First Literacy, OWD plays a vital role in supporting Boston’s Adult Basic Education programs under the leadership of Chief Nguyen. Through its Adult Literacy Initiative (ALI), and in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS), OWD provides essential funding and support for ESOL classes, basic literacy instruction, and high school equivalency preparation. These programs equip learners with the skills needed for further education, workforce training, and meaningful employment.

“Through a competitive process, the awardees have demonstrated successful academic and social rigor, and we know that as a result, they will become great professionals after they graduate in healthcare, in government, in education, and in many more industries,” said Nguyen. “This helps Boston to grow our workforce talent and remain one of the most competitive cities across the U.S.”

Of the twenty-nine scholars who will be honored at the ceremony, seventeen will be attending Boston colleges in the fall. Those schools include Bunker Hill Community College, Roxbury Community College, UMass Boston, Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology, and Urban College of Boston.

Ana Maria Garcia, an East Boston resident, is a second-year scholar who will continue her studies this fall at Bunker Hill Community College. 

“I am very grateful to First Literacy for supporting me in achieving my dream,” said Ana. “I am fully determined to complete my college studies with a degree in Business, advance my career, and give back to the community."

Ana is from Colombia and faced financial hardship growing up after her family went bankrupt. Struggling to pay for food and rent, her family made the difficult decision to move to the United States in hopes of a brighter future. When Ana arrived in the United States, she did not speak any English, so she joined El Centro Catholic Charities of Boston, where she successfully completed English classes and was nominated for a First Literacy scholarship.

“At Bunker Hill Community College, we witness the transformative power of education every day, especially through students like Ana Maria Garcia,” said Dr. Pam Eddinger, President of Bunker Hill Community College. “Her determination, resilience, and commitment to her goals embody the spirit of First Literacy. We are honored to support her journey and celebrate all the scholars who are turning adversity into opportunity.”

First Literacy has awarded more than half a million dollars in scholarships to adult learners, who have pursued careers in business, accounting, healthcare, education, computer science, and human services, among other fields. All first-year scholarship recipients receive $1,500 to pursue vocational training or higher education, with the opportunity to receive an additional $1,500 for their second semester if they have performed well. This year, a grant from The U.S. Charitable Gift Trust will also ensure that all continuing scholars receive the funding they need to pursue their educational goals.

“Every adult learner who receives a scholarship from First Literacy has overcome significant obstacles,” said Terry Witherell, First Literacy Executive Director. “Their determination is inspiring, and we are proud to support each of them as they work towards their educational goals and build brighter futures.”

To learn more about First Literacy and the First Literacy Scholarship program. 

Learn more about the Adult Literacy Initiative.

About First Literacy

In 1988, a consortium of public and private sector leaders, including Mayor Raymond Flynn and Boston Globe publisher William O. Taylor, established the Boston Adult Literacy Fund (BALF) to expand and improve Adult Basic Education (ABE) in Boston. Twenty years later, BALF became First Literacy. With a focus on funding innovation in adult literacy, First Literacy plays a unique and critical role in adult education and literacy in Massachusetts. Through program grants, free teacher workshops, and scholarships for adult learners, First Literacy reaches over 8,000 adult learners and 200 teachers across Massachusetts every year. For more information, visit www.FirstLiteracy.org and follow First Literacy on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Instagram @firstliteracy.