2008 recipients

2008 Alma Exley Scholarship recipients Vernon-James Riley, third from right, and Violet Sims, second from right, celebrate with previous recipients, Santosha Oliver, left, Desi Nesmith, second from left, and Chi-Ann Lin, at right, and the guest speaker at the reception, Dr. Xaé Alicia Reyes, third from left, associate professor of education at UConn.

Two more join "the scholarship family"

Vernon-James Riley, a student at Yale University, and Violet Sims, a graduate of the University of Connecticut and the Alternate Route to Certification, have been chosen as 2008 recipients of Alma Exley Memorial Scholarships. They were honored at a reception at the Charter Oak Cultural Center in Hartford on May 15, 2008.

Mr. Riley, a graduate of Blessed Edmund Rice High School, Harlem, New York, received a bachelor of arts degree in American studies with a departmental concentration in secondary social studies education from Yale in May 2008. He plans to pursue a master's degree in education at Michigan State University.

Ms. Sims is a graduate of E.C. Goodwin Technical High School, New Britain, Conn. She earned a bachelor’s degree in theater studies and a master’s degree in higher education/student affairs from the University of Connecticut, where she was employed after receiving her B.A. in 2002. She has been teaching Spanish at New Britain High School since earning her Connecticut teaching certificate through the Alternate Route to Certification in May 2007. She is the third recipient to be recognized from the Alternate Route to Certification, a state-run program that enables professionals from other fields to become teachers in Connecticut's public schools.

Speaking at the reception, former reciepient Desi Nesmith referred to the "family of Alma Exley Scholarship recipients". Mr. Riley and Ms. Sims join 15 previous recipients of Alma Exley Scholarships from Central Connecticut State University, Connecticut College, the University of Connecticut, St. Joseph College, Southern Connecticut State University, Yale University, and the Alternate Route to Certification. Previous recipients are making a difference in classrooms in Avon, East Hartford, Hartford, Meriden, New Haven and Westport, Conn., as well as in California, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Texas.