In May of 2023, the Nantucket Book Foundation lost a beloved member of our family. As longtime Chair of the Literary Committee, Tharon Dunn was committed to bringing the most captivating authors to Nantucket for our annual Festival, but she was also a fierce advocate for literacy and ELL programs, helping to found the English Language Learners program at the Nantucket Atheneum. In her honor, we have established the Tharon Dunn Scholarship, an annual award to celebrate a Nantucket High School student who loves reading, writing and for whom English is not their first language.

Cecilia “Cecy” Ramirez Maldonado is a 19-year-old young woman of Salvadoran origin who came to this country two years ago with many dreams and goals to fulfill. Despite Spanish being her native language, she has never seen English as an obstacle. As a graduating senior and member of the Class of 2025 at Nantucket High School, she has earned the Seal of Biliteracy on her diploma and has big plans to further her education and ultimately become a Spanish teacher.

Cecilia “Cecy” Ramirez Maldonado es una joven de 19 años de edad de origen Salvadoreño que vino hace dos años a este país con muchas ilusiones y metas por cumplir, a pesar que su lengua nativa es el español nunca ha visto como un obstáculo el inglés, y constantemente está luchando para poder convertirse en una maestra de español. Recientemente, ha ganado el Sello de Alfabetización Bilingüe para salir en su diploma. Después de graduarse con la clase de 2025 de Nantucket High School va a empezar sus estudios universitarios para poder realizar su sueño.