Celtics Star Rajon Rondo, Co-owner Steve Pagliuca and Sun Life Financial Present $110,000 in Grants and Scholarships to Boston Nonprofits and Rising Star Students at Celtics Pre-game Ceremony

Outstanding Boston high school students Aylin Garcia Soto and Melvin Harrison thought they were attending a regular season Boston Celtics game when star Celtics Guard Rajon Rondo and Co-owner of the Boston Celtics Steve Pagliuca helped Sun Life Regional Group Manager Stephen Reynolds and Sun Life Voluntary Benefits Practice Leader Tyler Thims surprise the students for a special presentation prior to the Celtics vs. Jazz game. In recognition of the student’s remarkable academic achievements, Rondo, Pagliuca, Reynolds and Thims surprised the students along with their supporting nonprofit organizations Bottom Line and Brookview House with grants and scholarships at a special Sun Life Rising Star Awards presentation at TD Garden. Sun Life has been a sponsor of the Boston Celtics since 2010.

Bottom Line and Brookview House both received a $50,000 grant, while Soto and Harrison both received $5,000 Sun Life Rising Star scholarship towards financing their college education. The Sun Life Rising Star Awards program provides financial resources to highly-motivated students and nonprofit organizations in large urban school districts committed to encouraging under-served youth to stay in school. The program also promotes the importance of higher education as a means to achieve life-long financial wellness.

This year, Sun Life will provide nearly $1 million in grants, scholarships and other resources to outstanding organizations and students in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Nashville and South Florida. By the end of 2013, Sun Life will have invested nearly $4 million to recognize a total of 70 students and 63 nonprofit organizations in 14 U.S. cities, since the program began in 2010.