2009 Senior Spotlights
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Jonathan Aponte '09 Graduating this year from: Woonsocket High School. Plans to attend: Community College of Rhode Island. Wants to study: Business. Favorite subject: Math. Latest accomplishment: Starting his own line of clothing called Breakin’ the Mold. “I believe society has molded people to be a certain way, and I feel called to let people know they don’t have to be that way, to give them their freedom back.” Where he does his art: In the silkscreen studio at Riverzedge Arts Project. Also is: A member of the High School Crusade Advisory Board. Favorite Crusade program: Crusade Summer Experience. My Crusade Advisor: “I can go to him when I need advice about anything, even if it doesn’t have to do with school.” Advice for Crusaders going into high school: “High school life is fun. There are a lot of good things going on, but take care of your stuff, not just your social life. Don’t procrastinate with your work.” Biggest unknown about college: “How my classes and teachers will be.” Dream job: “Owning my own clothing business and having it go big, doing what I love and getting paid.” He also thinks about opening a dance studio for young people. What he looks for in a friend: “Definitely honesty and loyalty. Someone who likes to have fun but knows when it’s time to be serious.” What he does for fun: Dancing. Writing and making music.
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Madelyn Brito '09 Graduating this year from: Central High School. Plans to attend: Rhode Island College. Wants to study: Education. Favorite subject: “I love English. I love to read books and to write poetry and essays.” Recently wrote a response to The God of Small Things, by Arundhati Roy. Highly recommends: A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini. Favorite poet: Langston Hughes. Latest accomplishment: She went to find her father, which brought about healing in her family. “It broke the ice. I felt like I did something brave.” Latest challenge: Not getting enough financial aid to live on campus next year. Favorite Crusade programs: Crusade Summer Experience, plus being a member of the High School Crusade Advisory Board. “I like interacting with others and helping younger students, and I really enjoy the community service projects we do together.” My Crusade Advisor: “I am the biggest procrastinator in the world. He was always reminding me about what I needed to do and motivating me to do it. He also helped me with researching scholarships.” Advice for Crusaders going into high school: “Be very prepared. You have to stay on top of your game in high school because your grades really matter. The teachers are serious.” Biggest unknown about college: The workload and how to handle it. Dream job: Being a middle school or high school teacher. Dream life: Being recognized and published as a poet. What she looks for in a friend: “Someone who is a good listener and who can make me laugh.” What she does for fun: Writing poems, listening to music, dancing.
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Julio Cabral '09 Graduating this year from: William J. Davies Jr. Career & Technical High School. Plans to attend: Suffolk University. Wants to study: International business and computer engineering. Favorite subject: U.S. history. “I like to know about the past and how it reflects on the future, and how we can learn from the past.” Senior project: Building a tutorial program for Second Life. Latest accomplishment: Being a presenter at the Getting to College Conference this year and advising Crusade juniors who are just beginning their applications. Also is: A member of the High School Crusade Advisory Board. Favorite Crusade programs: Bridge to Success at Roger Williams University and the three-day summer Career Exploration Program in technology at Johnson & Wales University. My Crusade Advisor: “He likes to interact with us and know about us. He has helped me more than my guidance counselor and keeps me motivated.” Advice for Crusaders going into high school: “Don’t go into situations too quick. Think it through first. Don’t live with regrets.” Biggest unknown about college: “Tuition cost and the reality of the college experience.” Dream job: Working as a computer engineer with businesses all over the world. What he looks for in a friend: Honesty and respect. What he does for fun: Community service work with the Crusade. Making music and singing, learning how to dance, playing basketball.
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Luis Monroy '09
 Graduating this year from: Central High School. Plans to attend: University of Rhode Island. Wants to study: Marketing and sales. Favorite subject: English, especially writing persuasive essays. Recent essay on: “Layers of Evil” in Shakespeare’s Othello. Will start in June: URI’s Talent Development program. Latest accomplishment: Performed his poetry in an adult slam competition at AS220 and won 4th place. Latest challenge: Captaining Central’s football team through a tough season. Also captain of: His indoor and outdoor track teams. Favorite Crusade program: “The High School Career Expo this year was really good. People came and talked to us about what it’s like to work in different careers. I met one of the speakers, and he invited me for a day of job shadowing.” My Crusade Advisor: “He helped me with a lot – like getting my FAFSA filed on time.” Leadership tendencies: Gets his own stuff done early. “So after that I can help everyone else.” Advice for Crusaders going into high school: “Try and mature as much as possible. Get out of the middle school frame of mind and smarten up. Don’t be lazy. Colleges are looking at your grades.” Biggest unknown about college: Staying up late at night to cram for tests. Dream job: “Doing something and having everyone know me for it. Being someone who makes a big difference.” What he looks for in a friend: “Someone with a sense of humor but who knows when to buckle down.” What he does for fun: Outdoor activities of all kinds.
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Bryant Estrada '09
 Graduating this year from: Central Falls High School. Plans to attend: Brown University. Wants to study: Psychology and pre-med. Favorite subjects: Calculus, psychology, and ceramics independent study. Latest accomplishments: Being chosen as class valedictorian. Getting into Brown. Favorite Crusade programs: Crusade Summer Experience at the University of Rhode Island, and the Getting to College Conference last year when he was a junior. My Crusade Advisor: “She’s awesome. She helped me with everything, especially with writing my college essay and understanding financial aid.” Advice for Crusaders going into high school: “Don’t get a big head and slack off in 8th grade. Remember that you have a lot to learn in high school.” Biggest unknowns about college: Dealing with large classes in lecture halls, preparing for exams, and managing classes and work study. Dream job: “Becoming a pediatric neurologist and helping kids with neurological disorders.” What he looks for in a friend: “Someone who is outgoing and respectful, not only to adults but to me, too. Someone who won’t turn their back on you.” What he does for fun: Colombian dance, afterschool art classes.
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Hannah Shaw '09 Graduating this year from: Central Falls High School. Plans to attend: University of Rhode Island. Wants to study: Marine biology. Favorite subjects: Oral communications and French 4. Is proud of: “How our senior class came together over the past year.” Favorite Crusade program: Bridge to Success at Roger Williams University. “We stayed on campus for a week during the summer and had SAT classes and workshops in reading and math. I met a lot of new people and saw what college was like.” My Crusade Advisor: “She helps me with so much – questions about teachers, applications, financial aid information. She is honest with me and always makes sure she knows what is going on in my life.” Advice for Crusaders going into high school: “Start projects early and stay on top of your schoolwork. Treat high school as an opportunity to make a fresh start.” Biggest unknown about college: “How classes will be. I need to learn how to study really well.” Dream job: Working for SeaWorld with killer whales and doing animal training. What she looks for in a friend: “Honesty, dependability. Someone who is outgoing and keeps me in a good mood. And my parents have to like them.” What she does for fun: Listening to all kinds of music.
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