October 2026 41

Boston, MA – Thirteen Boston-area students are getting a $ 2,000 boost toward their college education after being selected as the 2026 recipients of the City Kids Scholarship.

City Kids, the youth education nonprofit founded by City Realty Group, hosted a scholarship award ceremony and meet-and-greet to celebrate the young men and women whose hard work and determination earned them scholarships this year. The students, along with their families, had an opportunity to meet with City Kids leaders, share their educational goals and celebrate the milestone together.

In total, City Kids awarded $ 26,000 in scholarships to help the students pay for tuition, books and other higher education expenses. The scholarship program has grown steadily since launching in 2024, when City Kids awarded its first $ 10,000 in scholarships. Over the past three years, the program has expanded each year, helping 38 students with their college expenses to date, including five returning applicants. City Kids has now invested a total of $ 56,000 in the scholarship program.

As part of the scholarship program,

City Kids Scholarship recipients( l-r): Kendy Paz Cruz of Dorchester; Pablo Berganza Argueta of Brighton; Albin Valdez of Boston; Brian Lau of Boston; Kael Susanto of Westborough; Kevin Noti of Quincy; Markel Noti of Quincy. City Kids Co-Founder Stephen Whalen in foreground. Photo by Olivia Gilbert the City Kids team will keep in close communication with the scholars, providing mentorship and support as each moves forward on their higher education journey.

“ These scholarships are an investment in young people who are working hard to build a better future,” said Stephen Whalen, co-founder of City Kids.“ What stood out at our ceremony was not just what these students have accomplished,

but how much they want to accomplish. We’ re proud to support them and help make their next step a little easier.”

The City Kids Scholarship program provides financial assistance to underserved students from Boston and surrounding urban communities who are planning to attend or are currently attending a college, university or accredited higher education program.

For Kael Susanto, a 2026 City Kids scholarship recipient, the award will help him pursue and achieve his higher educational goals.

“ This is a blessing,” said Susanto.“ Tuition is a heavy burden, especially when dealing with other life issues. This scholarship will be beneficial, allowing me to help my parents out and remain focused on school.”

Holliston, MA – Wayne J. Griffin Electric, Inc.( Griffin Electric), an electrical contractor serving New England and the Southeast for nearly five decades, recently collaborated with the Holliston Pantry Shelf and youth programs in Milford as part of its annual Backpack Drive. With the summer winding to a close and students returning to classrooms soon, the company and its employees donated backpacks filled with school supplies to help ensure that children in the area start their school year off with all the materials they require to succeed.

Back-to-school season can be a

Griffin Electric’ s Backpack Drive

particularly stressful time due to the cost of school supplies. Griffin Electric team members donated backpacks to students in the Holliston and Milford areas ranging in grade levels from pre-K to high school. These backpacks were filled with a variety of age-appropriate school supplies, from writing utensils, colored pencils and notebooks to folders, hand sanitizers, water bottles and more.

The annual Backpack Drive is one of several initiatives the company and its employees support throughout the year to give back to others in the community.

Desmond Diaz

Boston – WinnCompanies has awarded $ 70,000 in scholarships to 59 residents of its managed apartment communities, as well as 10 dependents of company team members, to help them pursue post-secondary education at colleges, universities, or professional trade schools.

Of the 59 resident scholarship recipients for the 2026-27 academic year, 48 live in apartment communities managed by WinnResidential in Calif., Mass., Md., N. H., N. Y., R. I., and Washington, D. C. The remaining 11 recipients live in privatized military housing operated by WinnResidential Military Housing Services in Hawaii, Ky., N. Y., and Texas.

“ The WinningEdge Scholarship program offers a down payment toward a brighter future for residents and the loved ones of team members,” said

Diego Azbun

Gordan Liu

WinnCompanies CEO Gilbert Winn.“ In just 14 years since we started the program, we have awarded more than $ 970,000 in scholarships to support hundreds of people pursuing their educational goals. We’ re happy to reaffirm our commitment to improving the lives of the people we serve.”

The scholarship awards were made after WinnCompanies’ nonprofit partner, uAspire, and an internal committee evaluated resident applications, including transcripts, essays, and personal references. Recipients were selected based on their academic performance, financial need, and demonstrated leadership in school, community, or place of work.

A complete list of 2026-27 WinningEdge Scholarship recipients is available online.

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