President Meets with Dominican Merit Students Living in the United States

President Meets with Dominican Merit Students Living in the United States  

Dominican President Leonel Fernández met on Friday with Dominican merit students living in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The students are attending schools in these states as recognition of their excellent academic achievement during this past school year.

“is conscious that education is an important link that could help Dominican youth out of poverty and for that reason his government very much supports this important sector.”

In a brief but moving event held in the Ambassadors Hall of the National Palace,
President Fernández congratulated the students and spent a cheerful time with them and some of their family members who attended the event. 

Dominican Consul General in New York, Rafael Evans, gave the welcoming speech to the students while taking the opportunity to congratulate and encourage them to keep up their effort and dedication which, he said, was making the Dominican Republic proud and in good standing, according to the President’s Office of Information, Press and Publicity.

Evans explained that President Fernández “is conscious that education is an important link that could help Dominican youth out of poverty and for that reason his government very much supports this important sector.”

In calling on the group of students to increase their knowledge and put it to the service of the greater good, Evans told them that the awards they are receiving amount to a commitment to continue each day to be better human beings for the benefit of their families and society in general.
He also observed that the world today needs people who are committed to good causes although he cautioned that they will face innumerable challenges as they go forward in their lives.

Eduardo Genao, one of the students who spoke for the whole group, thanked President Fernández for receiving them in the Government House. “It is a great honor that the President has received us…this action on the government’s part shows that it recognizes that education is the surest road for young people to take to get out of poverty.”

Genao asked his companions to continue pursuing their dreams with dedication and effort, overcoming every obstacle that life presents along the way.
The activity was part of the Merit Student Recognition Program, an initiative of President Fernández and promoted by the Ministry of Education under its Minister, Melanio Paredes, who was also present at the activity.