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BECAS VALLARTA'S
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
In late August each year all
scholarship students meet at Los Mangos Library (designed
pro-bono by former scholarship student Salvador (Cachi) Pérez)
with the all volunteer members of Becas Vallarta, A.C. (The
America-Mexico Foundation, Inc.). Señora Mariel de Fregoso, the
President of Becas Vallarta, talks with each group, junior high,
senior high and university, praising them for their past good
work and reminding them of the obligations they accepted when
they won their coveted Becas Vallarta Scholarships. Two other
meetings are scheduled for everyone during the year, a Christmas
Party in December and a meeting which includes new students and
their parents in June.
In order to qualify for a
scholarship a student must live and attend public schools in the
Puerto Vallarta area, show real financial need which is verified
in the schools they are attending, maintain a grade point
average of 8.5 (of a possible 10), attend required meetings with
the foundation members, be good citizens in the school and
community and help with foundation functions when asked. But
once a student has earned a scholarship, the foundation pledges
to continue financial aid until the educational goal is met as
long as she or he continues to fulfill the prescribed
obligations.
At the August meeting all junior
high scholarship students receive certificates (in lieu of cash)
to take to local stores to buy their school shoes, uniforms, gym
clothes and tennis shoes. At this meeting they are also given
all of the school supplies needed for the year - - - paper,
pencils, pens, dictionaries, calculators, notebooks and more.
Another former scholarship student, Maestro Hector Ulloa, a long
time teacher in Vallarta's public schools and the owner of two
book stores, Papelería Los Profes #1 in Palos Secos and #2 in
Bobadilla, gets the school's required lists of needed supplies
and with the help of his son, packages everything and brings
what looks like a truck load to the library each year.
Naturally he gives the foundation a price far below what we
would pay in regular stores. The school year cost for each
junior high student is approximately $160 US.
Each of the 12 junior high
schools with which we work, has a foundation member who is
responsible year round to work with the directors of the
schools, the social workers, the students and their parents.
Pat Bendix, Linda Azcarate and Blanca Ortiz are the members who,
during the school year, make many trips to the schools, pay
close attention to the student's grades and what is happening in
their lives that might affect their ability to complete their
schooling.
Students in all high schools are
supervised by President Mariel de Fregoso and in all
Universities by Señora Mercedes de Martínez. They work with
individual students, advising, listening and giving the annual
stipend in installments. Each school year senior high students
receive $550 US and university students receive $700 US which
they may use for whatever cost is most pressing - - -
registration fees, books, clothing, transportation, food.
In addition to working with the
students, foundation members are always working to raise money
to pay for those scholarships. The need is great as we not only
want to sustain the girls and boys we now have in the program,
but hope to bring in even more.
At the December 1st annual party
for the students, two lucky ticket holders will win the $5,000
and $3,000 pesos prizes in our annual raffle. All of the
students in high school and university as well as the foundation
members are selling the 20 pesos chances. So if you see a young
person or one of us oldies with raffle tickets to sell, fork
over that 20 pesos, or more, and join in helping us keep the
scholarships going.
You can
Sponsor a Student now.
Donation Form
Sponsor A
Student Form
Guide Star
(Use your credit card)
Resource
Information
2007
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