Worth Being Involved!

Secondary scholarships

Meet Manuel. This July he graduated from sixth grade at Escuela San Felipe de Jesus in the Los Arcos area of San Felipe. For many of his classmates, this will be the only graduation they attend as participants. The principal of this school estimates that 70 percent of his class will not finish high school and that none will go to college.

Why? A variety of social and economic factors are at work. Parents may be unable to afford to send a child to school. Instead, the child may be needed to work in order to supplement the family's income. In secondary school, tuition must be paid, and school and P. E. uniforms are mandatory. Of course, the cost for school supplies and activities is also higher as one progresses in school. In addition, there may be a lack of aspiration and a general feeling of futility.

Fortunately, a teacher in Sacramento, California, heard of the situation and opened her heart and pocket book and contributed $60.00 for a scholarship to the first year of junior high school. No one, she felt, should be denied an education for the lack of $60.00. She also provided extra money for clothing and any additional supplies he might need.

On the poster behind Manuel are birds in flight bearing the names of the students in his class, each of whom deserves the chance to make life better through education. If you would like to help a young man or woman fly to new heights, simply click contact us for more information about changing a child's future.

If you would like to help a student continue his or her education after the sixth grade, just $80.00 per year will help keep a child in school. We would appreciate it if you would make a three-year commitment to see one student all the way through secondaria. Since school begins in the middle of August, the payment needs to be in our hands by the beginning of August (or as soon as possible thereafter). You will receive a picture of your student and a copy of the report card each year. Of course, contributions to this fund can be made at any time of the year.

COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS
College students who are selected for scholarships receive $100.00 per month from Las Amigas to help offset some of their college expenses. The number of scholarships that we give in April depends upon how much money has been raised through our various events. Individuals or groups sometimes decide to support a student for the entire length of his or her educational program. Of course, contributions in any amount are always welcome.

"A school is a building with four walls, and tomorrow inside." - Anonymous

A Plea

Some of our schools in San Felipe do not yet have computers. Our children are still out of touch with the 21st century. Please, if anyone has a used computer (Windows XP) sitting around because they have upgraded at home (Vista), please bring it with you when you snowbird to San Felipe this year. These students really need it. They will love you. Please notice that operative systems older than XP will not do the job.

Hands Up

The main focus of the club's fund-raising activities is education. However, we realize that a hungry child is not going to learn. Therefore, a few of our members go out each month with food for individuals and families who are in desperate need. This includes the sick and elderly as well as families with young children. Las Amigas contributes to this fund, and at each meeting a raffle is held to raise additional money. Donations to help purchase fresh fruits and vegetables are always needed.

This project is not an easy one. The conditions in some homes are truly heart-breaking. However, the members who initiated this project and who have worked with it for several years, feel that it is vitally necessary to the welfare of the people they help. They all say that the joy and satisfaction they have received from their efforts have been all the reward they want or need.

At Christmas time, many Amigas members join with others in the community to provide a Christmas Eve dinner and gifts to families who would otherwise have little or no Christmas. Everyone who as participated in this has spoken of the joy and gratitude of the families involved and how it made their own Christmas especially meaningful. Many have become personal friends with the family they met that evening.

You can help by bringing down bags of rice, beans, and other dry or canned goods. Clothing, especially for infants and children, diapers (infant and adult sizes), shampoo (regular and for head lice), soap and toiletries are other useful items. To find out where to take these items, please contact us.

Club Leo

In English or Spanish, everyone loves Clifford, the big red dog. Until four years ago when the Club Leo program was initiated, the schools of San Felipe had few, if any library books. No story books, like Clifford, for circle time; no resource books to delve into for topics of interest. Four years later, more than 12,000 books in Spanish have been distributed to San Felipe's 11 elementary schools and 8 kindergartens. Although the library collections are not adequate by U.S. and Canadian standards, these books are a welcome start and greatly appreciated by students and teachers.

The schools are working hard now to find a way to display the books so that the children can have better access to them. Several schools have renovated old storage rooms, and others are trying to build libraries. Block by block, these structures are growing, to the pride of the children, teachers, and community. Progress builds morale and enhances the educational experience for both the children and their teachers.

To learn more about Club Leo, please contact Kay Gabbard at sfkay2003@yahoo.com.

If you use Amazon, in addition to your own purchases, if you wish to purchase a book for the schools, a "wish list" is available.

"What we learn with pleasure we never forget." - Alfred Mercier

PLEASE make checks payable to Club Las Amigas. At the bottom of the check, please note which project you would like to help support.

Want to send a check?
Here is our NEW address!
PMB #45
P.O. BOX 9011
CALEXICO, CA 92232
Web mistress: barbara.b@ourbunch.net