Two recent high school graduates from Dorchester— Merline Mathieu and Nicholas Correia — were among the recipients of the 20th annual Kirby Perkins Scholarship Award presented by WCVB Channel 5 last week. The two students were chosen, along with eight other students from Massachusetts, out of a larger pool of students who were each recognized by the channel during its weekly segment, ‘A Plus’. The segment, started by the late reporter Kirby Perkins, after whom the scholarship is named, is meant to recognize students who have worked to overcome substantial challenges in their home lives while excelling in the classroom.

Mathieu, a recent graduate of Boston International Newcomers Academy in Dorchester, has overcome the steepest of odds in order to become the determined student and aspiring nurse that she is today.

Originally from Haiti, her school was destroyed during the earthquake of 2010 that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, while injuring, displacing, and endangering countless others.

For two years, Merline remained in Haiti, caring for her mother who was dealing with sickness. Since moving to the U.S., without knowing any English upon her arrival, Merline has excelled in the classroom and now plans to study nursing at Bunker Hill Community College.

Correia, the son of Cape Verdean immigrants, grew up in Dorchester. Through his participation as a scholar of the Steppingstone Foundation, he earned the opportunity to attend the Brimmer and May School, a private K-12 school. Nicholas felt out of place in his school environment at first, but discovered a passion for theater. He has also given back to the community that provided him with support and opportunity, volunteering with Steppingstone to help teach kids about exploring their capabilities and achieving their goals. He hopes to continue studying theater at Brown University in the fall, along with studying business, so that one day he can open a non-profit organization that will help kids like himself.

WCVB-TV President and General Manager Bill Fine acclaimed the efforts of both students.

“The recipients of this year’s A Plus Scholarship awards truly demonstrate the values on which the scholarship was established two decades ago in the namesake of Kirby Perkins,” said Fine. “These students have overcome hardships and challenges with extraordinary courage and determination. We are proud to recognize and reward these students with an A Plus scholarship so that they can continue to pursue their respective dreams and a higher education.”

Other Kirby Perkins A Plus Scholarship Fund recipients include: Brianna Seaver, Ivan Sebuufu-Bazitya, Kit Nguyen, Michael Nderitu, Nazanin “Naz” Beigi, Orgelio “Jay” Soares, Pamela Francisco, and Taylor Goodman-Leong.