Congratulations to Maceda Berhanu, the chosen recipient of the Deo Kujirabwindja Memorial Scholarship for the class of 2021.
Maceda has obvious credentials to recommend her as a strong emerging leader — among her many extracurricular activities, she's also president of her high school's Student Government Association — but it was her striking blend of determination and pragmatism that really stood out to the A.L.F. board.
While still in high school, Maceda saw a variety of issues affecting her community, and she chose to act. She planned and worked to build a variety of programs, such as a new project to help previously suspended or expelled students better reconnect with school life and steady their path forward.
Undaunted by the complexities of the problems in front of her, Maceda has been taking tangible steps towards real progress from an early age; everyone on the board is excited to see what she tackles next.
The board was also impressed by the four other finalists, however, and we are happy to announce the A.L.F. will be continuing last year's policy of issuing secondary grants of $1,000 each to the other members of that pool. Congratulations then, also, to Christina Chen, Vivian Li, Che Moorhead, and Chris Tong. The A.L.F. will continue to work with all five finalists to provide ongoing mentoring and career opportunities.