On Friday, June 26, 2015, I attended the Thirty-Sixth Annual Commencement Ceremony at Murry Bergtraum High School. I was there to award the 2015 Financial Women’s Association Scholarship Winners. Being there got me thinking about my own time in high school. When it was time for me to decide which high school to go to my parents were set on me going to a Catholic High School. I took the exams to go to a specialized high school and got in, but they wanted me close to home. It was not until my older sister talked to a friend and we found out and thought about Murry Bergtraum HS.
It was a brand new school and the entire name is Murry Bergtraum HS for Business Careers and it is located at 411 Pearl Street, right across from police plaza. I wanted to study business and what a perfect school for me. My parents were not too sure I would have to take the train and go there and to say the were apprehensive is an understatement. In the end, it was decided that I would go. I got to attend a summer program before school started, and my mom went with me everyday. It was the way she made sure I stayed same.
At Bergtraum, I got to thrive educationally and personally, I was allowed to take all the best classes and take business classes. I also got to participate in activities and groups that allowed me to make friends and learn so much. I was then offered to be part of the Financial Women’s Association Mentoring program. At Bergtraum things are were very competitive you had to apply, luckily I got selected. I was assigned a wonderful mentor Jenene Karamon, she allowed me to intern at Merrill Lynch and do so many activities with the program. She is still my mentor to this day. When it came time for college, I wanted to go to NYU, and my mentor encouraged me and everyone at the school did. My parents again wondered about it, but they were very supportive. I applied for numerous scholarships one of them being the Financial Women’s Association. This was a first time scholarship, given based on GPA, activities, mentor recommendation, and all around accomplishments. I was lucky enough to be awarded the first annual scholarship.
Fast forward years later, and I know am the chair of the scholarship committee, and it is my turn to hand out those scholarships to those lucky students. They enter a small group of recipients for this award. I was lucky to receive it and go on to NYU and get a wonderful education. I thank the FWA for everything they did for me, and I am proud to be able to give back now.
At Bergtraum the motto is we are committed to producing the next generation of elite thought leaders through academic rigor, exposure to real life experiences and an awareness of one’s total self.
How awesome is that they you interned at Merrill Lynch and had all these wonderful experiences at school and now your the chair of the scholarship committee and helping kids have their own wonderful experiences. It’s amazing how life takes a full circle like that <3
What a journey you have completed to date! I think being int he position to give those scholarships to other students would be great!
Murry Bergtraum sounds like a wonderful school that lets you grow academically. I love the fact that you had a mentor school can sometimes be overwhelming and it is great to have someone who cares. Very cool that you now get to hand out scholorships.
You were able to learn a lot from Bergtraum. It’s nice that it’s your time now to be the one dealing with students and granting scholarships.
You were once there, but now you are the one handing out to them the scholarships. You had your chance, worked hard and made the best out of it. I hope the lucky students will do the same.
Congratulations! You are just so great and ready to jump off! Good luck with your future, it is looking great
That is amazing how you got to go back and award scholarships!! Sounds like an amazing school!!
That High School is in NYC? I live just outside the city and never heard of it–it sounds like a great school that really cares about it’s students and helps them succeed! It is so nice that it is now you handing out the scholarship that allowed you to go to NYU!
What an awesome success story! It sounds like your hard work and your drive really paid off.
I love your story. Hard work definitely pays off. I am going to share this story with my daughter – she is starting a very rigorous high school experience in the fall, and this should be inspirational to her!
That must be so cool to come full circle like that! The only time I’ve returned to my high school was for my brother’s graduation.
I’ve never heard of schools like this! What a wonderful opportunity. And now you’re able to give back with the scholarships. That must be a great feeling!
what an awesome story!!
xo,
Sandy
Sandy a la Mode
That’s a lovely success story you have there. It’s great that your mum took you to school every day. What dedication! I never got to choose my high school. I wish I had of as my bad high-school bought down my final marks when I finished!
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It’s truly a nice and useful piece of info.
I’m happy that you shared this helpful information with us.
Please stay us testo up max, Aileen,
to date like this. Thank you for sharing.
That is so awesome that you can now give scholarships to others. What a way to give back to the community!
This is a great story indeed and it sounds like you are paying forward. You should be so proud of yourself for your achievements. It has to feel nice to end where you had begun. Congrats and thanks for sharing.
That sonds like an awesome experience. We don’t have specialized schools an dstuff like that where I’m located; at least not that I’m aware of, but it sounds like an amazing opportunity.
Aww this is such a wonderful thing. What a wonderful story you shared with us today. 🙂