The Hartley-Schlosstein Scholars

The Hartley-Schlosstein Scholarship Fund at New Visions was established by Ralph Schlosstein and Jane Hartley in partnership with BlackRock Corporation.

2011 Scholars

Claudia Aviles, Bronx Center for Science and Mathematics.

Wei Zheng Chen, Knowledge and Power Preparatory Academy International High School.

Amber Erskine, Knowledge and Power Preparatory Academy International High School.

Ardijana Novaj, Collegiate Institute for Math and Science.

Andy Polanco, Knowledge and Power Preparatory Academy International High School.

Cheyidatou Traore, Marble Hill High School for International Relations.

Juan Vasquez, Bronx Center for Science and Mathematics.

2010 Scholars

Dieynabou "Dee" Barry, Bronx Center for Science and Math. Human rights abuses in Dee's home country of Guinea have inspired her to become "a bettering force in this wold," as she wrote in an application essay for the scholarship. On track to be her class's valedictorian, Dee has been admitted to Dartmouth College, where she wants to major in international studies. Her goal is to become a memeber of the United Nations and address human rights issues.

Joanna Mei Juan Luo, High School of Telecommunication Arts and Technology. Joanna, who plans to attend New York University, wants to become a nurse and is passionate about public health issues. She will be the first in her family to graduate from high school. "My father was never given a chance to go to high school, let alone college," Joanna wrote in her scholarship application essay. "From the stories he tells us, I call up a vivid mental picture of him as a barefooted child walking on the dirt road, with two buckets dangling from each end of a stick placed on his shoulder, as he makes his third trip to the village's only water well. I have always known that if I ever wanted to honor my father with the chance to say, 'My children all went to college,' I would first need to set the example."

Oi Yee Liu, High School of Telecommunication Arts and Technology. Oi Yee is extremely passionate about math. After she moved to the United States from Hong Kong four years ago, "My new life in this country was overwhelming and constantly tortured me because everything required English." Except math. She became known at school as "math girl." Classmates began to ask her for help in math, and a teacher nominated her for the Math Honor Society, enabling her to make friends and improve her communication skills in English. Oi Yee will attend Leigh University, where she plans to major in finance.

Sharmin Shompa "Sini" Mollick, Marble Hill High School for International Studies. Sharmin grew up in Bangledesh in a conservative Muslim family that did not encourage her to go to school and disapproved of her desire to study biology. After coming to the United States, she had to keep secret her study of science and goal of becoming a genetic researcher. "Because science contradicted with my parents' beliefs, I studied for science classes when no one was around, usually in the bathroom," she wrote in her scholarship application essay. "I wanted to prove to my parents that studying science would not corrupt my mind but would allow me to have a positive impact on the world." Sharmin is secretary of the school math club, a member of the National Honor Society, and a tutor in algebra and calculus. She will attend Cornell University.

Stephanie George, Collegiate Insitute for Math and Science. Stephanie loves history, and she has been on a quest to learn about her family's past in Jamaica to help define her identity as an Afro-Caribbean American. She enjoys learning about the similarities in folklore and beliefs around the world. "I get goose bumps when I think of how all our lives are linked together through history," she wrote in her scholarship application essay. At CIMS, she is president of the student government, vice president of the National Honor Society, an editor on the student newspaper, and a representative on the school leadership team, a decision-making body that meets with the principal, staff and parents. She will attend Vassar College.

Shi Giang "Luis" Ng Tong, East-West School of International Studies. Luis was raised in Colombia, where he was the only Chinese person at his school. From the time he was a young boy, he wanted to contribute to solving humanity's problems, such as finding a cure for cancer; however, he stopped school in seventh grade. Luis resumed his education when he arrived in the United States but was ashamed of his language barrier and the fact that he was older than his peers. But his determination remained, and since his sophomore year, he has been the top student in his grade and taking college courses through the College Now program at Queens College. He is now fluent in English, Chinese and Spanish and studying Korean. His science teacher Gloria Nicodemi says he's the first student she's ever taught who scored a 100 on the earth science Regents, then got another perfect score the next year on the chemistry exam. "I strive to become an engineer who solves the people's challenges of today and tomorrow, to struggle side by side with humanity's problems," he wrote in his scholarship application essay. "I do not want to be just anyone, I want to be someone that leaves a mark in the world before my existence extinguishes."

2009 Scholars

Sabienne Brutus, a graduate of the High School for Global Citizenship, is attending Tufts University. After coming to the United States from Haiti in ninth grade, Sabienne mastered the English language and became an eloquent writer in fewer than four years. She is a passionate advocate for social justice in her community and around the globe and active in an organization called Global Kids.

Deyanirse “D.J.” Jourdain, a graduate of the Bronx School for Law and Finance, is attending New York University’s Stern School of Business. D.J. has shown a strong aptitude for business in her coursework. She lead her school’s team in the Federal Reserve Challenge to the semifinals. D.J. also founded a dance team at her high school and interned with the law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.

Tania Miah, a graduate of Hillcrest High School, is attending the Sophie B. Davis School of Biomedical Education at the City College of New York. Tania prepared herself for this prestigious opportunity by dedicating 25 hours per week to the rigorous Bridges to Medicine program at York College, gaining hands-on experience in genetics as an intern at the American Museum of Natural History and volunteering at a nursing home to learn about patient care.

Amar Ramroop, also a graduate of Hillcrest, is attending the University of Pennsylvania. Amar is a natural leader: He represented nearly 4,000 of his peers as student body president, helped found a youth empowerment program at his church and volunteered regularly with seniors at a local hospital. A budding scientist, Amar plans to major in nanotechnology.

Martenn Taylor, a graduate of the Bronx Center for Science and Math, is attending Dartmouth College, where he plans to pursue a career in medicine. He spent three summers in Dartmouth’s summer enrichment program for high school students. Martenn has a passion for music and plays the guitar. He was active in his high school’s mentoring program.