Marta Aparicio Celebration and Networking Day
The Social Studies 2.0 – Life Skills class begins with student hosts welcoming and introducing today’s guests to the Central High School class: Central High School Senior Alonnie Stoval introduces Marta Aparicio, former student of Mr Cronin’s Life Skills class at Hope High School and now United States of America State Department Diplomat serving in the United States Embassy in the Central American country of Honduras and previously in the United States Embassy of the Asian country of Laos. Central High School senior, Chris Feliz, is poised to introduce Providence Mayor Brett Smiley to the class.
Central High School sophomore, Henry Pardo, introduces former United States Congressman NOW President of the Rhode Island Foundation, David Cicilline, to the class audience.
Social Studies 2.0 – A Life Skills program teacher, Stephen Cronin, opens the day’s class by reminiscing about his former student, Marta Aparicio‘s, numerous accomplishments: her emigration to the United States as a 12 year old from the central American country of Guatemala, valedictorian of her 2010 Hope High School class, her full scholarship and her 3.45 GPA double major graduation from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., her Master’s degree from Columbia University in New York City, her acceptance into the United States Diplomatic Corps and the fact Marta Aparicio remains a hard working, principled, kind, and dedicated person.
Mayor Smiley congratulates Marta on her significant accomplishments while acknowledging her willingness to help others especially those whose journey is similar to her own, and closes by expressing his appreciation for representing the City of Providence as the person she is.
Rhode Island Foundation President, David Cicilline, reminisces when he recognized Marta’s significant high school accomplishments at the 2010 Rhode Island Hispanic American Chamber of Commerce Banquet and her internship in his Congressional Office while Marta was a student at Georgetown University.
After sharing her personal story from her Guatemalan immigration to serving in the United States State Department as a United States Diplomat, Marta Aparicio answers questions from the Central High School students.
THEN A CATERED LUNCH AS STUDENTS
NETWORK
WITH INVITED GUESTS
Estiben Calderon, Brianna Albizures Arevalo, and Reggie Castro network with Marta over lunch
In the foreground, Alonnie Stoval networks with Providence College professor, Dr Katie Kranz, over lunch about SOCIAL WORK majors and careers while Theresa Nazario, Chevalee Graham, and Mahlina Sok network with Theresa Moore, the Founder and President of T-Time Productions, a Professor at Providence College, a former executive at ESPN, the Coca-Cola Company and Chubb Insurance, a Board Member of The Rhode Island Foundation, a Board Member HopeHealth, a Board Member Harvard Varsity Club and a Board Member of the Seismic Capital Company in the background. Theresa has continually pushed out of her comfort zone to network continuously to serve others.
Former United States Congressman NOW President of the Rhode Island Foundation, David Cicilline, networks with Alonnie Stoval while other Central High school students and distinguished guests network in the background.
Anthony Wilds, a Providence MET High School student who has attended a number of Stephen Cronin’s Social Studies 2.0 – Life Skills classes this school year, networks with Rob Rock, Rhode Island’s Deputy Secretary of State in Secretary of State, Greg Amore’s office.
Central High School student, Chevalee Graham, networks with Marta with PERFECT NETWORK GREETING SKILLS, i.e.extended firm handshake, and a welcoming smile as Henry Pardo (seated to Chevalee’s left) and Theresa Nazario (standing to Chevalee’s right) await their turn to do the same.
Central High School senior, Estiben Calderon, networks with Dr Dioscaris Garcia, Professor at Brown University (PhD Pharmacology) and Senior Research Scientist at the
Central High School Principal, Bob Dimuccio, reminisces with Marta about their time at Hope High School.
Marta friend and former Hope High School classmate, Jose Perez, former Hope High School Guidance counselor and present Central High School Counselor, Diane West, Marta Aparicio, former Hope High School Guidance counselor and present Central High School Guidance Counselor, Stephanie Saint Aubin, Marta high school friend Jackie Santana, and former Hope High School Guidance counselor and present Central High School Guidance Counselor Jimps Saint Louis.
What a great morning with young Rhode Island leaders! It was a pleasure being there.
Mr. Cronin, thank you very much for inviting me to your class. You are a great role model and we need more leaders like you in our community! Thank you for helping me and for continuing to help more students in our public schools.
It was fulfilling and exciting to be back in your class and talk to students who come from similar backgrounds like me. It is an honor to be able to inspire others and tell them, “if I can do it, you can do it!” We all need hear success stories from mentors and role models that look like us and come from similar backgrounds. Sometimes, I cannot believe that I was able to “beat the odds” and get to where I am today.
I hope to see future U.S. Diplomats, doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, and artists from our Providence public schools!