Boston's Valedictorians Celebrated at Fenway Park

Valedictorians from across the Boston Public Schools system were honored Tuesday at an event at Fenway Park.

Some say they want to become immigration lawyers or pediatric surgeons, while others see themselves as engineers or flight attendants. But one thing they all have in common – their resilient and inspiring stories.

Over 200 people were at Fenway Park to celebrate the students.

“I honestly never thought I would make it this far,” said Kevin Guardado, valedictorian from Brighton High School.

Guardado is one of the 33 graduating seniors who were recognized at the 25^th annual Boston Public Schools Valedictorians Luncheon.

“This is just amazing and so incredible. This is an unforgettable moment for me. I feel so excited,” Guardado added.

Guardado immigrated from Honduras to the U.S. just five years ago, when he was 15. He didn’t speak English at the time. Tuesday, he had the honor of delivering the official address.

“They might not have the same access due to their immigration status to attend college, and I feel like I’m the example that you can achieve your goals if you really want to,” he said.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu talked to the graduating class, echoing the difficulties of spending most of their high school years during a pandemic.

“It has been a lot on your shoulders and we know you’ve powered through this. You have not only made it, you have not only excelled through that but you have been a bright spot to your fellow students.

It was a challenge Malaika Allen had to face without her parents present. Both of them still live in Jamaica.

“I just mainly focused on my end goal. I remember what I’m here for, I remember what I want to accomplish and just steadfast on that,” she explained.

The students represented countries from all over the world, including Honduras, the Dominican Republic, China and Italy.

Toward the end of the luncheon, the students got a little surprise from the Red Sox organization – four tickets to a Red Sox game.