SOMEONE ELSE GIVING US A REASON TO SMILE: PERSEVERING STUDENT ESTHER ELONGA. ESTER RECEIVED A FOUR-YEAR SCHOLARSHIP TO ATTEND HARVARD, ONE OF AMERICA’S TOP COLLEGES, BUT SHE’S BEEN THROUGH A LOT TO GET THERE.
SHE IS ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S BEST AND BRIGHTEST STUDENTS. BUT FOR ESTHER ELONGA, THE ROAD TO HARVARD HAS NOT BEEN EASY. IT STARTED WHEN HER FAMILY HAD TO FLEE THEIR NATIVE CONGO.
Esther Elonga/Accepted to Harvard: "Because of the wars and insecurity, my family had to move from the Congo to Uganda. So we lived in Uganda as refugees."
SHE IS NOW AN 18-YEAR-OLD SENIOR AT CONCORD HIGH SCHOOL. NOT AN EASY FEAT, CONSIDERING ENGLISH ISN'T EVEN ESTHER'S FIRST LANGUAGE. BUT IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR PEOPLE AT CONCORD HIGH TO NOTICE THAT ESTHER WAS NO ORDINARY STUDENT.
Anna-Marie Dipasquale/Concord High Social Worker: "Her insights are just so incredible. She's well-read. So in addition to her AP courses and every advanced course, she reads a lot of books. She's always reading. She's always studying, so she'll have so much to offer when she goes in the classroom."
ESTHER PLANS TO MAJOR IN CHEMISTRY, AND HOPES TO EVENTUALLY BECOME AN ANESTHESIOLOGIST. AND WHILE THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT, MEMORIES OF THE PAST ARE STILL FRESH.
Esther Elonga/Accepted to Harvard: "Most of the children that I left in Africa, most of them who are my friends, were people who were as
bright as anyone or who are as smart, but could never have the opportunity of going to school."
FOR NEVER GIVING UP NO MATTER WHERE HOME IS, ESTHER GETS OUR A PLUS!