VOICES OF TENACITY
Carlos LopesASEP Alumnus, Class of 2004
(The following is a speech that was written and read by Carlos Lopes for the Tenacity 2006 Benefit Gala...)
Good evening everyone. My name is Cleuton Lopes, but everyone calls me Carlos. You can too, if I meet you later on the dance floor.
The Lopes family—my mother, uncle, two brothers and I-- came to the United States from Cape Verde around the turn of the century—the 21st century. When I arrived here in the third grade, my English vocabulary began with the number 1 and ended with the number 10.
We first lived on Bowdoin St. in the heart of Dorchester, then moved to a low income housing development—we still call it the projects—in Charlestown. To be honest, where I live is not the safest place around. Last summer my friend Kevin was stabbed to death right behind my house.
I joined Tenacity in 2002, and I knew right from the start that I loved tennis. The problem was that I was so concerned with being accepted at my new school, the Edison, that I chose the road of the conformist, rather than being my true self. I dropped out of Tenacity after the 6th grade, so I could spend more time chilling with my buddies. My grades plummeted, and I was on that slow ride to nowhere.
But I got lucky. Tenacity agreed to take me back at the beginning of the 8th grade. Andy Crane knew I was smart, and told me about private schools. He also warned me that with my grades as they were, I didn’t stand a chance of being accepted into any good schools. One of the good schools he told me about was Beacon Academy, a new one-year program that prepares kids like me to succeed at New England’s best secondary schools. My competitive spirit took over, and I went from a C to an A average in a matter of weeks. I was accepted at Beacon, and I’ve spent the last year realizing my full potential. With Tenacity’s help I’ve also continued with my tennis, including tournament play. This has helped me become a more focused student and person.
My mother had a respected position as a teacher in Cape Verde, but she came to America for her family’s future, even though it has meant working long hours as a housekeeper in a hotel like this one. My responsibility is to honor her sacrifice, and I will be doing this for the next four years at Tabor Academy, where I have been awarded a full scholarship.
My story may be unique, but everyone on this stage could tell you one that would be just as compelling, and so could hundreds of other Tenacity students. If it weren’t for everyone at Tenacity, there is no chance I would be where I am today. And if it weren’t for people like you, there would be no Tenacity. We on this stage want you to know how much we appreciate you, and that we will not let you down. Thank you very much.
UPDATE: Carlos has received an acceptance from Tufts University with a full scholarship to join the Class of 2014! Congratulations Carlos!
> Experience other "Voices of Tenacity"
