Waving a Transform RI Scholarship Golden Ticket, officials representing the Papitto Opportunity Connection recently traveled to high schools across the state, from Central Falls to North Kingstown – and more than a half-dozen stops in between.

At each stop, the team surprised students during pep rallies, classroom visits and assemblies with an exciting announcement: one student from each school had been named a Top 10 finalist for the 2025 Transform RI Scholarship.

For the fourth straight year, the Papitto Opportunity Connection offered high school students an opportunity to use their voice and be heard by asking for unique ideas on how they would strengthen Rhode Island’s communities with the greatest need. 

This year, 637 students representing 64 public, private, charter and parochial schools from across Rhode Island high schools responded, sharing personal essays, thoughtful research, dynamic videos and multimedia presentations showcasing how excited they are about creating real change in their communities. 

Addressing food insecurity in schools, launching a job-skills education program based on cleaning and restoring the Blackstone River, and introducing a mobile unit that brings educational and mental-health resources to underserved communities were among the innovative and impactful initiatives chosen by a panel of judges for their potential to make meaningful change in Rhode Island.

2025 Transform RI Scholarship Top 10 Finalists include:

• Rocco DeMartino - Cumberland High School
• Haven Hoenick - La Salle Academy (Providence)
• Safiyatu Gassama -  Blackstone Valley Prep (Pawtucket)
• Jace Goldstein - Moses Brown (Bristol)
• Melissa Gonzalez Gutierrez - Cranston West
• Quadratullah Omari  - The Met School 
• Nachiket Patel - Barrington High School 
• Jessiret Pena Gomez - Central High School
• Kendra Ramirez -  Central Falls High School 
• Suhani Srivastava - North Kingstown High School

The 2025 Transform RI Winner will be revealed during a celebration Wednesday, May 28, at The Graduate by Hilton Providence. POC will invest $1 million to make the winning student’s big idea become a reality. All TRIS Top 10 finalists will receive scholarships ranging from $5,000 to $25,000. 

Since TRIS was established in 2022, POC has invested more than $3.5 million in this program.