Milford HS Senior Earns Scholarship From Town Democrats

MILFORD, MA — The 2021 winner of the annual Milford Democratic Town Committee scholarship contest is Sarah Veliz, who plans to study abroad this fall.

Here's more from a Milford Democratic Town Committee press release:

Sarah Veliz, a senior at Milford High School, was named this year's recipient of the Milford Democratic Town Committee scholarship. For the fourth consecutive year, the committee has awarded the $500 scholarship to a graduating high school senior living in Milford on the basis of an essay.

"Sarah's essay was not only the most responsive to the topic of inclusivity, but she showed an awareness of the intersectionality of race and gender," said Chair Lauren Wilton. "I appreciated that she is a young feminist woman of color who is committed to making cracks in the proverbial glass ceiling."

Students were asked to complete a 400 to 600-word essay describing how the Democratic party's progressive and inclusive philosophy could inspire the nation and the world. Veliz's essay focused on gender equality in the workforce, especially by advocating for more women in underrepresented industries. Veliz's essay drew on her own dreams of a career in politics and academia, both fields in which women are currently underrepresented.

"A report from the National Association for Law explains the harsh limitations of women in politics, as a mere ten percent of attorneys are women of color," Veliz wrote. "The inclusion of women becomes essential as politics at its core is the analysis and treatment of human relationships and the manner in which solutions are respectively taken."

During her time at MHS, Veliz gave back to her community by taking on leadership roles. She served on the town's School Improvement Committee as a class representative, and worked with Youth in Philanthropy, a group of students throughout MetroWest which raises money for charitable causes. After graduation, she plans to study political science, philosophy, and economics at the American University of the Mediterranean in Aix-en-Provence, France.

The Milford Democratic Town Committee meets on the fourth Monday of every month. The committee will also hold their annual caucus remotely on Saturday, June 26, at 11 am. Registration is open to any registered or pre-registered Democrat living in Milford, and can be found online at bit.ly/MDTC2021caucus. Those interested in learning more about the group should visit the group's Facebook page at facebook.com/MilfordMaDTC, or follow them on Twitter and Instagram at @MilfordMaDTC.