On May 10, 2018, Janichka Jean-Nordeus, who was a middle school student at Fenway High School in Mission Hill at the time, got a phone call that would change the trajectory of her life. It was the Boston Red Sox calling, but the call had nothing to do with baseball. Instead, the team had taken notice of Janichka's academic and community service track record after she had applied to the competitive Red Sox Scholars program. On the call, the seventh grader was offered a $10,000 scholarship and a spot in the Scholars program.
"I cried because I knew exactly what it meant for my future," she recalled about that day. "My mom was very happy and proud, my teachers, my principal…that was a big moment for me. After that, I knew I could accomplish anything."
