Classical student to receive Christian Herter Memorial Scholarship

LYNN – Classical High School student Leonardo Casillas will head to the State House Thursday where he will be honored and celebrated, and handed a Christian Herter Memorial Scholarship for his academic prowess and aspirations for higher education.According to Principal Gene Constantino, Casillas was one of two students nominated for the program and one of only 25 students statewide to receive the award.The Christian Herter Memorial Scholarship Program provides financial assistance to students who have a desire to further their education and the academic ability to back it up. It is different, however, in that it identifies recruits during their sophomore and junior years, and targets those with challenging socio-economic backgrounds and environmental conditions.Raised by a single mother struggling to raise four children while managing extensive medical and practical issues, Casillas has always provided critical emotional and financial support for his family.According to a letter from the Department of Higher Education (DOE) to Constantino, Casillas is considered to be “a resilient young man who does not let life intimidate him. He faces challenges head-on and is open to assistance from adults, when needed.”The letter states that his early life experiences caused Casillas to grow up quickly, but he has been able to maintain a strong history of academic success, excellent study habits and commitment to learning.”He hopes to pursue a career in science or engineering after high school,” states the letter. “His teachers speak highly of him, often remarking on his keen understanding of both concepts and applications.”The DOE learned of Casillas’ achievements in an essay where he talked about overcoming significant hardships and showed leadership qualities, maturity “and an exceptionally high level of motivation, enthusiasm for learning, academic promise and community involvement.”The letter goes on to call Casillas an impressive, highly motivated student who is not afraid to take chances.Constantino called it a nice award for Classical and for Casillas.Herter scholars may receive awards of up to 50 percent of the calculated financial need for study at a college of their choice and are awarded for a maximum of four years.