WINCHESTER - Competing with more than 70 other applicants in the state, Handley High School senior Roberto Ayala Diaz, 19, was surprised Friday morning in front of peers with a $1,500 scholarship.
The scholarship comes from the Virginia ESL Supervisors' Association (VESA), an educational organization that promotes the academic achievement of English Language Learners in grades PK-12. Kimberly Peterson, ESOL program coordinator for Winchester Public Schools, said the selection committee "fell in love with Roberto through his application."
Ayala Diaz moved from El Salvador to the United States and began attending Handley in 2016. Peterson said he was a "level 1," or beginning, English speaker when he arrived. Within his first year at Handley, he worked hard enough to be a "level 3," or intermediate, English speaker the next year.
By the time he was "level 3" he was receiving As and Bs in his classes. Currently, he has all As.
"We fell in love with your application and how much progress you have made since you have come to our school and our school district in 2016," Peterson told Ayala Diaz upon giving him the scholarship news. "You're a very hard worker, and we're so pleased to get to know you."
Ayala Diaz said he's thankful for the scholarship and that it will help him as he plans to pursue welding at Lord Fairfax Community College. Once he's done with his welding coursework at LFCC, he added that he may pursue something different.
"I don't know," he said. "Maybe I have the opportunity to do something else."
Ayala Diaz said he's going to miss almost everything about Handley when he graduates June 1. His favorite subjects are English and math.
Handley Principal Mike Dufrene said "it gives you chills and chokes you up at the same time," upon learning of Ayala Diaz's hard work and latest achievement.
"I'm just so proud of the young man and how far he's come through hard work, great effort, great attitude," Dufrene said. "I hope he inspired his classmates to show them that anything is possible. Opportunities are there. You just have to apply yourself and take advantage of what we have to offer and good things happen."