Pictured: (left to right): Mary Truong, Fleet BankVice President/Manager of Corporate Community Development.
The essay winners: Laura Gaylord, Monique Anderson, Kevin Cueva, and Taylor Curley.
Ed Geary Jr., 2003 Dorchester Celebrations Essay Committee Chair.

Thank you to Fleet Bank for helping sponsor the U.S. Savings Bonds.

A special thank you to the essay contest judges:
Gretchen Carney, Russell Fitzgerald, Maureen Piraino, and Mary Russell.
They did an outstanding job of reviewing all the submitted essays.

Dorchester Day Essay Contest Winners
Topic: “What senior citizen has had the most influence in my life”

My Grandfather

My grandfather influenced me. Now that he has passed away I will try to be like him. He was a very good person. He helped me to learn how to play soccer. When I first started school he told me not to drink alcohol as he did. He said that it is the biggest mistake you could ever make. He said that is how he could influence me.

He was caring and always giving support to people who needed support. He always told me to respect people because then you will be respected. He taught me not to do the things he did wrong. At my soccer games he would always tell me not to do things I was doing wrong and told me to try my hardest and to be the best. I miss him but I always remember what he told me. I still remember him telling me to study hard, be a good student, and go to high school, college and to be a success in life.

Kevin Cueva
6th Grade
St. Gregory’s School

The senior citizen that most had an impact on my life was my greatly loved grandfather. His name was Dominic Paulo. He owned a restaurant in downtown called Dominic’s. He was a very generous man; he helped others before he helped himself. He would let kids with cancer come into his restaurant and make pizza. They would get so excited. He taught me to be a kind, giving, caring person. My grandfather passed away on December 1st, 2002. There were over 800 people at his funeral. When his eulogy was given it was stated that Dominic could have breakfast with the President, dinner with a homeless person and it would all be the same to him. This is how my Papa was, race, creed, wealth or poverty, my Papa taught me to treat everyone the same. To receive respect you have to give respect. Even in death, my Papa donated his corneas so someone else could see. I will take what my Papa taught me as a person and try to guide my life according to how he lived his. My Papa was a man of wealth and I don’t mean money. He was a wealth of knowledge. He knew that god, faith, and family were much more important than money. He taught me that without the people around you that love and money doesn’t mean anything. The most important influence my grandfather had on me was teaching me to treat others as you want to be treated, to show compassion, and God will take care of the rest. I feel living my life similar to my Papas will be a great tribute to him as a grandfather and person. My grandfather was 66 years old when he died suddenly. He was needed in a better place.

Taylor Curley
7th Grade
St. Brendan’s School

I have been lucky to know may inspiring senior citizens, but one that has influenced me the most is my Grandma Brenda. She cares about my sisters and I a lot and whenever we visit her and my grandfather she has plans for us to go new places and experience new things. My grandma lives in Florida for most of the year, but during the summer months she stays in a campground so that her six grandchildren can see her.

My grandma is known in my family for trying to get everyone to eat a little healthier. I often joke about this with my cousins and my sisters, because quite frankly, we are not used to having the “proper” amount of vegetables a day or eating soybean products. Still, Grandma Brenda tries to get us food that we enjoy as well as new things that are healthy and she thinks we may like. However strange some of these things may seem to me, I know that it’s the thought that counts. My grandma just wants to make sure that we all stay healthy and eat right.

My grandma has also helped me to realize that I am interested in History. She is a genealogist and I find it very interesting to hear about what my ancestors were like and what kind of lives they lead. She also takes me to historical sites or museums, and always remarks that no matter how many times she visits a place she always learns something new. After spending time with her I have realized that perhaps I would like to go into a field of work where I could put the knowledge of history I have to use, and also continue learning.

Though she lives far away for most of the year, my grandma has still been able to have an influence on my life. She has helped me to realize that I really enjoy learning about things that happened in the past and the hardships that people used to face. I also know that she cares about me very much, and her effort to try to introduce my sisters and I to healthier food is an example of that. These things have helped me to grow to a better person and a better student, and I appreciate all that my grandma has done.

Laura Gaylord
9th Grade
The Windsor School

As I continue to grow and mature, I begin to wonder who exactly I am as an individual. I question why I think the way I do or have some of the opinions that I express. I’ve come to the conclusion that individuals that I look up to or who I feel have had an influence on me will play a large role in the adult and the overall person that I become.

My grandmother is the senior citizen who has had the most influence in my life as well as the person to whom I turn to for guidance. My family and I have repeatedly overcome obstacles which life in general tends to place in front of us. In spite of the death of my mother in April of 1996 and the custody battle between my grandmother and my father, I have found some sanity to continue to try to excel in school.

Through my grandmother my mother’s spirit lives and through her I find the strength to continue and pursue things that seem impossible. For instance I wanted to put together a dance group filled with neighborhood kids so that we could use leadership and talent to express ourselves though music. My grandmother helped me find sponsors that were willing to support us as long as we put forth our best effort. This experience helped me realize that as much as I thought the group needed me I was the one that needed them. Although I was the head of the group the younger members taught me things I never imagined possible. The diversity among the individuals helped me build relationships that can never be torn apart.

My grandmother’s perseverance though the most difficult situations has influenced me to strive for things that seem hardest to conquer. “Nothing in this world is handed to you” are the words that she constantly incorporates into me. My grandmother is my biggest supporter and because of her I believe that college will help me fulfill my ultimate lifetime dream, which is to become a nurse. College provides diversity, multiple opportunities, and a welcoming community, which can be used to my benefit.

Although times got hard my grandmother didn’t back away she stayed though thick and thin. She is the glue that holds my family together without her I can’t even imagine where we would be. She gave up her life to take care of my sister and myself which in itself can sometimes be a burden. It would have been so much easier for her to just get up and walk away, but my grandmother didn’t take that route she was in it for the long haul. My grandmother is a phenomenal woman and she gave up her whole life to not only raise us but she also helped raise her sisters kids while they pursued higher education and she didn’t even get to receive a high school diploma. Over the years my grandmother has given so much that I just want to in some way give back to her what she generously given me.

Sandra Anderson is the name of the woman who has influenced me so much that I want to tell the world about it. She is a disabled woman faced with epilepsy which causes her to have seizures if she does not take her medication, but she handles this problem very responsibly and the common eye would not know she was faced with this disease. She does not in any way, shape or form let that stop her from doing what she thinks is her personal responsibility which is taking care of my sister and myself.

My grandmother also influences me to do things that not only benefit me but also others. She makes sure that I understand that the world is not surrounded around me and that what I do affects other people so I should think before I act. So I enjoy doing things like visiting the so forgotten elderly who often become extremely lonely and value company more than anyone else. I also visit homeless shelters and serve food to people who could very well be just like me but just have encountered several problems. I love participating in leadership groups that educate people about issues such as substance abuse, which too often go without being acknowledged as problems in our society.

In conclusion my grandmother is the most influential person that I know. She tells me that “above all common sense is most important in this world”. Without common sense one could pass up many opportunities and make a lot of mistakes that are easily avoidable with common knowledge. Without the use of common sense people would not be able to solve the easiest problems or even attempt to try to solve the hard ones. I have high respect for my grandmother, not to mention esteem and she is definitely by far the “senior citizen who has most influenced my life”.

Monique Anderson
12th Grade
Boston Latin Academy

Here is a listing of the places the essay entry flyers were dropped off:

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