Welcome and thank you for attending the 16th Annual Scholarship Banquet.
The Portuguese Foundation was organized in 1990 and in 1992 created the Scholarship program with the principle that education is the most important element in achieving one's full potential in life. Since 1992, the Foundation has distributed 107 scholarships valued at $166,500.00.
The Foundation's ability to help these students comes from the talent and hard work of its Board of Directors, guiding members and most importantly from the generosity of individuals and businesses that have financially supported these efforts throughout the years.
World history reflects the influence of the Portuguese on every continent. From one of the smallest nations on the European continent, sailed the greatest discoverers who left a legacy of Portuguese culture and tradition that remain to this day on every continent. From Africa to Goa to Macao to Philippines to Hawaii to Brazil to Newfoundland, the legacy of Portuguese culture & traditions remain to this day.
In America, descendants of the Portuguese have made a lasting impact, beginning with the first recording of a Portuguese settler, Mathias de Sousa, landing in 1634 in Maryland. In all fields, including law, entertainment, government, education, finance, religion and medicine, Portuguese Americans have made lasting footprints. The names of Benjamin Mendes Seixas, a founder of the New York Stock Exchange; John Philip Sousa, leader of the U.S. Marine Corp Marching Band; Justice Benjamin Cardozo on the U.S. Supreme Court; Mayor Helen L.C. Lawrence (Silveira); Cardinal Humberto Sousa Medeiros; television news journalist Meredith Vieira; golfer Billy Andrade and singer Nellie Furtado.
Neither we nor any of those individuals could have had the opportunities that have been given to us, if not for the explorers under Prince Henry the Navigator. Names such as Estevao Gomes, Pedro Cabral, Joao Cabrilho, Joao Corte Real and Fernando Magalhaes.
We have been given a foundation, as defined by Webster's Dictionary - "the act of establishing the founding of an institution with provisions for future maintenance" and an obligation to respect the accomplishments of our ancestral explorers and promulgate new achievements. That is why it is so important to PFI to continue awarding these scholarships of educational achievement and honoring community organizations, such as The Holy Ghost Portuguese Society and Escola Portuguesa da Nossa Senhora da Fatima. Both of these organizations embody the spirit of the Portuguese Foundation to disseminate Portuguese culture throughout Connecticut.
The Holy Ghost Portuguese Society, located in East Hartford, continues centuries old traditions celebrating the Festa do Espirito Santo and the Escola Portuguesa provides an opportunity for individuals to learn the Portuguese language.
Each scholarship recipient serves as a symbol of Prince Henry the Navigator's expeditious fleet, the Caravela's. Each of the explorers that left Portugal set out to acquire new resources for Portugal. Each of the scholarship recipients will set out on a journey, not only for themselves but to achieve the dreams of their families and community to accomplish great things in society.
As our ancestors left the shores of Portugal with sights on new ports, we must follow in their footsteps - to look over the horizon to ensure that the foundation stays afloat for many years to come to help other caravelas set off for new ports and to never forget the port from whence we began our journey.
