‘Helping People is a Good Way to Go About Your Life’

Adrian Freire ’25 sat at his kitchen table, his laptop open and his mother, Veronica Palacios, by his side. He had waited all day for this moment, resisting the urge to check the email that would determine his future until he and his mother could do it side-by-side. Finally, he clicked the link, and she hugged him tightly, pride and relief evident in her expression.

Adrian, a Plainfield, N.J., native, will attend Haverford College on a full scholarship from the QuestBridge program. For him, the scholarship is not just a personal achievement but a fulfillment of his mother’s lifelong goal: to see her children build better lives. Ms. Palacios, a medical assistant at a pediatrician’s office, has always been his greatest inspiration. Listening to her stories about helping patients inspired his dream to become a pediatric physician. “Helping people for a living is a good way to go about your life,” he said. 

At St. Benedict’s Prep, Adrian embraced the School’s honors courses and strong sense of community. While the coursework prepared him for the demands of college, he believes it was the relationships instilled at 520 MLK that will be his greatest advantage. “It’s the connections we make through challenges,” he explained, citing experiences like the Backpacking Project. “You learn how to support people and how to let them support you. That’s something that will help me in college and beyond.”

 Beyond academics, Adrian is co-president of the Fr. Mark Payne Institute and a dedicated chess player. He joined the Chess Club as a freshman and stuck with it all four years, mentoring younger students along the way. He also found an unexpected passion in the Gray Bee Garden. 

As he looks ahead to Haverford, Adrian is most excited about the new experiences and people he will meet. Though the school is only a couple of hours from home, it represents a significant step toward independence. “I’ve seen how much I’ve changed throughout high school,” he reflected. “I know I’m going to meet amazing people, and I’m excited to see how that shapes me.”