Alumni Spotlight
Anderson Guerrero Nunez ’23: The Importance of ‘Showing Up’
“Mr. Green showed me how to put 110% into everything I do — and put in work even when nobody is watching.”
Anderson Guerrero Nunez ’23 captained English High teams to consecutive Thanksgiving Day victories in 2021 and 2022.
Anderson Guerrero Nunez, a member of the English High School Class of ‘23, was Captain of the Football Team and served as Class President. He is the recipient of the Coach Bill Stewart Jr. Scholarship established in 1987, awarded by The English High School Association to the senior who best exemplifies persistence, competitiveness, spirit, and good sportsmanship.
Anderson was captain of the English teams that beat Boston Latin on Thanksgiving Days in 2021 and 2022. In the fall he begins his freshman year at Norwich University. Many English alumni were excited to learn of his acceptance to the highly-regarded Northfield, Vermont, school founded in 1819 – two years older than English High! He plans to continue playing football at Norwich.
We recently caught up with Anderson for this interview:
EHSA: What do you want to do after college?
Anderson: After college I plan on coming back to the city and going to the Boston Police or Massachusetts State Police Academy to bring a sense of protection and community to my city and state.
EHSA: Why do you think you were chosen for the Coach Bill Stewart Jr. Scholarship?
Anderson: I believe I was chosen because of my integrity, leadership, willingness to work hard, my work with the community, and sportsmanship while playing football for the Blue and Blue.
EHSA: Were there English High teachers who had a special influence on you? What other life lessons did they convey to you and other students?
Anderson: Among teachers that had a special influence on me was my AP Literature teacher, Ms. Deguzman, because she opened my perspective in writing and taught me a lot about college and life.
Another teacher who had a special influence on me is Ms. Cusack, my 11th grade History teacher. She taught me the importance of ‘showing up.’ She made it her priority during Covid to make sure I showed up on the zoom call and made it to school on time during the hybrid period.
A third teacher I give credit to who changed my perspective on the police and actually made me want to become an officer is Legal & Protective Services teacher Mr. Green, part of the Career Pathways Program. He showed me how to make a good professional first impression and how to present myself to important people. He also taught me to continue to impress people throughout the years. Mr. Green showed me how to put 110% into everything I do and put in work even when nobody is watching.
EHSA: When choosing a high school, why did you choose English High?
Anderson: English High is different from other schools because of its tradition, support and equal opportunities for everyone. At first I chose English because of their really good football team, but now I realize I got way more than sports experience out of my English years.
EHSA: Can you describe some life lessons you learned at English?
English High School Class of 2023 President Anderson Guerrero at graduation ceremonies
Anderson: What I learned about leadership is that you have to face consequences without blaming anyone else. I learned to be selfless and sometimes you have to make sacrifices to bring people together.
EHSA: Why did you choose Norwich University — and why did they choose you?
Anderson: I chose Norwich because they have a really strong bond in their football team, and I look forward to being challenged by the courses. Meeting challenges brings major success and skills that I know can help me in the future. And I believe Norwich chose me due to the hard work and leadership skills I showed at English. I think they want the type of leadership I offer.
EHSA: Tell us a bit about your family.
Anderson: My family is Dominican. My grandma came to the US with my mom and uncle and they became American citizens. My mother had aspirations to finish high school but she had me a little too early and didn’t get to finish.
Then mom sent me to live with my grandma back in the Dominican Republic so she could stay here and work multiple jobs to have a home for herself and clothes and food for us back in DR. When she was somewhat stable, she sent me back to Boston where she was going to nursing school and graduated. But she lost the love of nursing and continued to work multiple jobs to support me and my sister. There were difficulties at home so during part of my childhood I moved from home to home and lived in a homeless shelter for three years in Cambridge where I found my love for football. From there my mom made sure we would never be in that situation in any of our lives again.
