For the fourth year ,Bethlehem Area School District celebrated a pair of exemplary students who will now benefit from full scholarships to Moravian College as a continued symbol of the connection between the college and local schools.

Superintendent Dr. Joseph Roy said Moravian’s focus has long been on first-generation collegegoers and women, so he looks at students with compelling life experiences, but, “It turns out we have a lot of great kids in Bethlehem.”

At the top of this year’s list were Olivia Swiadek of Freedom HS and Dennis Rosado of Liberty; both matriculating with the district K-12, but having overcome challenges while excelling in their school careers.

Swiadek’s family moved to Bethlehem from Brooklyn, NY, specifically because of its reputation in housing and schools, but that hardly made her early education effortless; her parents emigrated from Poland and they didn’t speak English at home. Swiadek found herself a confused outsider in kindergarten. “I couldn’t understand why the other kids couldn’t understand me and why I couldn’t understand them. So I took it upon myself in English, and I watched shows, read flash cards, I read a lot of books; my favorite is ‘The Help.’”

Swiadek is considering pursuing a master’s degree in business administration with a minor in corporate law.

She thanked officials, staff and family, saying, “It still feels surreal.”

Rosado has always lived in Bethlehem, but rarely in one place for long. His mother left when he was 13, leaving him and his sister under their disabled father’s care; but there was no money. They were left homeless and moved often, once staying with an uncle for a time, until the elder Rosado, also named Dennis, was able to attain disability funds.

Rosado understandably began working early, and has been employed at Dorney Park, UPS and Zulily, and a string of other local businesses. “I’ve worked at a lot of places,” he said, but told the audience what’s most important to meeting life’s challenges; “I don’t know where I’d be without my family and friends.”

Having graduated early, he’s currently working full time, but when he can he enjoys video games; his current favorite is Apex Legends.

Rosado said he plans to major in business management or economics, and though he hasn’t yet set his sights on a dream vocation, he wants, “something I can do and have a family and relax; not a job that takes over my whole life.”