Lawrence Prospera High School Scholarship Fund Genesis grew up in Lawrence speaking Spanish at home. When She started her education at the Lawrence Family Development Charter School in Kindergarten she was enrolled as an English Language Learner. She attended LFDCS until 8th grade. Genesis worked hard at LFDCS and earned a coveted scholarship to a private high school through the Opening Doors program . She was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend the Berkshire School, a boarding school in Sheffield, MA. Genesis’ 1st year at Berkshire was tough. It was her first time being away from home. She was homesick and often cried herself to sleep during her first 6 months. As a girl coming from Lawrence, she knew she had a special opportunity to further her education. After a challenging first year, she came to recognize that the system wasn’t designed to make her successful or help her fit in. She recognized that she had earned her seat at the table and it was hers to lose. All of that motivated her to push herself and to find comfort within the discomfort. She also used those experiences to help the other students of color feel welcomed and find the sense of belonging that she fought to have. After high school, Genesis attended Bates College where she graduated in 2021 with a Sociology Degree. She knew that she wanted to have an impact on the lives of youth, which pushed her to become a teacher. Shortly after college, she came back to LFDCS, this time as a teacher. “Going in between 2 different worlds the privileged vs the unprivileged taught me how to navigate in spaces with different pressures. The survival skills of being from Lawrence and a fighter to being seen along with working 3 times as hard for a seat at the table. “ LAWRENCE PROSPERA FY’23 ANNUAL REPORT PAGE 11
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