The 5.5.2024 Fall River Commission on Disability Scholarship Brunch commenced with introductions by Dennis, the commission's chair, who recognized Vice Chair Debbie Pico and Commissioners Lisa Silva, Dan Robolard, and Ann O'Neil Souza. Mayor Paul Coogan, City Council Andrew Reposa, and Superintendent Brian Bentley also delivered remarks, emphasizing the importance of education and community contribution. The main event was the awarding of scholarships to several high school students. Scholarships were presented to Jordan Lewis Barcelos and Joy Stetson from BMC Durfee High School; Jill Moniz and Gwen Pereira from Diman Regional Vocational Technical School; Alexandra Noera and Luna Campos from Atlantis (who were not present); Jessel Montero Salata from Augusta Collegiate Charter School; and Caleb Thomas from Augusta Collegiate Charter School (who was also not present). Each student received a $1,500 scholarship, supplemented by an additional $125 from Bost Bank, bringing the total scholarship amount to $1,625 per student. Dennis explained that the scholarship program is funded by $200 fines collected from individuals who illegally park in handicap spaces.
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on the commission the vice chair off to my right is uh Debbie Pico and um we have commissioner Lisa Silva commissioner Dan robolard and not able to be with us today commissioner uh um an O'Neal Souza who's the chief of staff to the mayor um is very very helpful to us so those are the colleagues on the Fall River Commission on disability I would like to take this opportunity to introduce the mayor of
0:50the city of Fall River who's been who's been to every one of our events and I'm really honored to introduce mayor Paul Coogan thank thank thank thank you very much Dennis I appreciate you letting me come up and say a few words um before we go too far I do want to introduce a friend of mine he's a colleague and city counsel in the city of for River also he knows a little
1:23bit about education so I'm going to definitely let him say hello even before I speak um Andrew reposa the principal of a spirit of Santo thank you good morning everyone and welcome to this scholarship dinner I've had the privilege to be here a number of years now to present scholarships to our local high school students on behalf of the Forest City Council on behalf of all my colleagues we wish you all the best of
1:45luck in your futures and don't forget do some good work in college come back and make forever a better place every day thank you so much Mr may also here who is extremely extremely shy is the superintendent of diamond Brian Bentley I don't know if he wants to come up and greet everyone but that's up to him I'll do it for him because say a few words Brian come on don't be
2:14shy I just don't want him du stage me that's I know he's a great talker that's what I'm worried about yeah shyness is no problem with me cuz I am very shy uh I just think that it's wonderful that our graduates can be honored they're moving on uh they've done well obviously by the accolades that they're going to receive here today I am very very happy to be here as I know I have two students
2:40here from Diamond who I'm very proud of but for all the students receiving scholarships today take heart in what you've done you've done well and you deserve everything that is coming your way congratulations
3:09sure okay I need some help here okay Dennis hang on dev's coming right now next to you okay I actually wanted to know if you were still up here so yeah just let the other guys say hi okay so that that ends the speeches so we're going to go on and give out what May's going to speak if you let meally go I'm sorry Dennis has heard me talk before so he
3:32was trying to Short Circuit me I'm Dennis thank you very much for that vot of confidence you're making me feel great I am not going to talk long but I am going to say it's a great great time of year in the city of Fall River we get to acknowledge the work that's going on with these kids we get to wish them well in their next Journeys and education and we really appreciate their contributions
3:54both to their schools their families and the City of Fall River and we hope they continue and again as Mr Bentley said come back to Fall River we'd love to have you join us down the road with your positive contributions for the city with all that being said I'm going to thank uh city council reposa for helping me do this our first recipient tonight this morning is Jordan Lewis barcelos is Jordan with
4:20us um in honor and recognition of being a BMC dery High School recipient of the 2024 Commission on disability scholarship congratulations thank you very much and good luck I will take a picture and good luck in the future Jordan over that way they're taking one too thank our second scholarship winner Joy Stetson in honor and recognition of being a BMC dery High School recipient of the 2024 Commission on disability
5:01scholarship congratulations Cong where you going to school Joy uh probably um Bridgewater very nice congratulations thank you congratulations good job this is Diamond okay our next scholarship winner is Jill monus and and recognition of her being Diamond Regional Vocational Technical School recipient of the 2024 Fall River Commission on disability scholarship congratulations very nice where you going to school next
5:41year that's where I went just looked at the camera though it's supposed to smile too con congratulations thank you um our next recipient also from Diamond is Gwen Pereira in honor and recognition of her being Diamond Regional Vocational Technical School recipient of the 2024 Commission on disability congratulations congratulations where are you going to school very nice great start congratulations very nice is that
6:18is that is that it here we have two from Atlantis and yeah I have the names okay do you want to read them Dennis cuz it's up to you or just you can read I don't have oh just okay all no I have them um um city council is getting them a few people um could not be with us today but we do want to acknowledge their their contributions um Alexandra noera and Lun
6:45Campos from Atlantis and the others are also now where did these kids go to school Ary oh this is the name I asked her to help me with one of them is here who's that oh I'm glad he's here cuz I and I'm glad you said the name I want to bring up Jessel Montero Salata will'll be going to
7:16BCC all right try we're trying to find yours Jess oh this is perfect we love this all right jez in honor and recognition of being the August Collegiate Charter School recipient of the 2024 Fall River Commission on disability scholarship congratulations thank you that's for you and we'll grab a picture very nice congratulations where you going to school U BCC very nice great congratulations all right I
7:45think that's everybody except for also for ausy who couldn't join us today is Caleb Thomas uh they will obviously all get their citations and their Awards uh we were joined by um special ed director for the for of public schools um Lori obain she she came down to make sure her kids were acknowledged and we appreciate her joining us here this morning at the breakfast also thank you everybody I
8:08appreciate it congratulations again thank you so much no that's okay Mr Mayor thank you so much much I appreciate it very much and that's it folks enjoy the meal thank you thank you I'm good Dennis go ahead I I just want to it's a good point um I just want to tell everybody um exactly how we're able to do the scholarship program the monies for people who Park and handicap parking
8:47spaces which shouldn't be done at all that money um goes into the to Municipal commissions on disabilities all over the state in this case the Fall River Commission on disability um it's a $200 fine um and the money goes into that account and that enables Municipal commissions and disabilities to do things like scholarship programs um services or equipment for um disabled veterans we usually we we work
9:19with the veteran services office for example so there are a number of things that that money that goes into the disability commission account does so that's how were able to do that so do you want to tell them how much each student was able to get this year each student and actually thank you for reminding me each student will be getting a $1,500 scholarship plus the Bost Bank donated money to the
9:48commission so you'll be giving you'll be getting an additional $125 um they they donated 1,000 alog together to the commission so your total will be6 $25 scholarships