FITCHBURG — Dedicated educator and mentor Aury Rivera was thrilled to recognize two of her students with Latino Student of the Year awards at the recent event held in the city.
The longtime teacher presented Fitchburg High School (FHS) senior Barbara Gonzalez and sophomore Miguel Noguera with the honor at the annual Festival Latino held on Sept. 18 at Riverfront Park.
“Each of you, in your own way, represents what it means to be a student who is committed to their community,” Rivera said to the duo during her speech at the special occasion. “You remind us that our culture, our traditions, and our language are an important part of who we are, and that we have a responsibility to keep them alive and share them with future generations.”
Rivera immigrated to the U.S. from Puerto Rico in 1996 and graduated from FHS two years later. She lived in Fitchburg for over two decades before moving to Winchendon several years ago with her husband and their two children and has been at FHS since 2023, currently as the World Language Spanish teacher, World Language Department facilitator, and Latin American Club advisor.
This is the third year for the Latino Student of the Year awards. Rivera nominates students based on their performance and involvement in the Latin American Club and said, “this is the first year I had the honor to present the awards,” which she did alongside Fitchburg Public Schools Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Jeremy Roche.
Rivera imparted during her speech that throughout her years at the school, Barbara “has stood out because of her involvement and commitment to our community.”
“She is always looking for new ideas to improve our club, create opportunities for other students, and keep our traditions and culture alive,” she said of the current Latin American Club president.
Seventeen-year-old Barbara said she is “grateful for this opportunity and incredibly honored to be named Latino Student of the Year.”
“It is both a privilege and a joy to represent my community, embrace our heritage, and inspire others to believe in what they can achieve,” the young woman said.
Miguel, 15, echoed her sentiments, saying he feels “extremely honored and grateful to receive this award.”
“Being named Latino Student of the Year means so much to me because it represents the hard work, dedication, and pride I have in my culture,” he said. “I’m thankful to everyone who has supported and encouraged me along the way, and I hope I can continue to make my family, teachers, and community proud.”
Rivera said at the festival that from the moment the young man arrived at FHS, “he has dedicated himself to helping and actively participating in the Latino American Club.”
“Miguel is one of those students who does not need to be asked to help. He sees what needs to be done and finds a way to help,” she said.
Closing her speech she congratulated Barbara and Miguel and said that “as an educator, one of the things that makes me most proud is seeing our students grow, discover their talents, and use those talents to help others.”
“Barbara and Miguel, thank you for being examples for other students,” Rivera said. “Thank you for your dedication, and most importantly, thank you for representing our Latino community with such pride. I am certain that this recognition is only the beginning of many great things to come. Congratulations to our two Latino Students of the Year. We are very proud of you!”
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