Even a global pandemic during their late middle school and early high school years couldn’t stop these 10 teens from showing us their capacity for overcoming adversity to excel in the arts, academics, athletics and so much more. Come meet the multi-hyphenates (entrepreneur/rower/debater! scientist/dancer/class president!) who represent the best of Stamford’s next generation. This year’s group of talented young people impressed us by how they made their mark being true to themselves, leaning into their personal interests to shine. If there is a through line that connects them all, it is an authenticity that seems to belie their age. No matter our own stage of life, we all have a lot to learn from and be inspired by their passion and determination. We look forward to watching their stories unfold. This is simply the first act.
See the rest of this year’s Stamford Teens to Watch.
Sebastian ROSARIO
St. Luke’s School and Sacred Heart University
Puppy love had Sebastian Rosario smitten from an early age. Childhood visits to his family’s homeland, the Dominican Republic, piqued his interest in the ubiquitous and often friendly street dogs, sometimes called “coconut hounds,” who wander the island’s cities and rural towns. “I was that kid who wanted to pet, feed and adopt them all,” he says.
Today, he dotes on his Chihuahua, Brownie, at home in Stamford and pet Rottweilers, Cocoa and Oreo, who stay with family still living on the Caribbean Island. “The way I feel about dogs is they may not understand you completely, but in their own way, they do,” he says. “No matter what’s going on with me, they cheer me up.”
So, it’s no surprise that this science and animal-loving teen will begin biology studies at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield this fall, with hopes of becoming a veterinarian.
Time spent shadowing a vet in Pound Ridge, N.Y., convinced Rosario that helping pets and their families live healthy, happy lives together was his calling. “I have even taken care of snakes,” he says with a laugh. “I know being a vet isn’t an easy goal, but it feels like a fit for me.”
Rosario is also excited about immersing himself in campus activities at Sacred Heart, a school he chose for its strong health sciences program, proximity to his closeknit family and commitment to service, an enduring personal value. At St. Luke’s he was awarded with the school’s Richard Whitcomb Award for being the senior who personified the qualities of responsibility, caring and kindness.
Rosario led through service including supporting the school’s football team (and his older brother, Juan) by serving as team manager. In that often-unsung volunteer role, he attended all practices and games, while keeping tabs on equipment and recording game videos. “I did it at first because I wanted to understand the game my brother was so into,” he says. “But it turned into an unforgettable experience. The coach made me feel like a valued part of the team and had me working as hard as the players. I learned so much.”
He was similarly passionate about his leadership of St. Luke’s Black Student Union. “We were this relatively small group on campus as St. Luke’s is predominately white, but being in that space together made us feel a bit more connected,” he says. “I am so proud of my own Dominican culture. We are a warm, fun-loving people who have a strong faith in God to get us through the day to day. And I love sharing that with others.”
POP QUIZ
What advice would you give to your high school freshman self?
“Be yourself. Be Kind. Try new things and push yourself academically and take some risks.”