By Jack and Donna Walton - July 2012
FATHER JOSEPH O’LOONEY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM STUDENTS, 2012-2013
From Sixth Graders to University Graduates!
What a wonderful experience to get to know so many wonderful, intelligent and diverse young people, and to realize that you are a part of helping them better their lives! My husband Jack and I had the wonderful opportunity to meet for the third year in a row, with the recipients of the Father O’Looney Scholarships in Apaseo el Grande, Guanajuato, Mexico. The director, Rosalia, took us on home visits to meet some of the new scholarship students, as well as catch up with continuing students. We were able to meet the families of these students and were impressed with how much the families provide a team effort to help their children succeed. The following day we met with the group as a whole, and listened to each individually as they talked about how their school year had gone and what their plans were for the future. The one common theme was how much every student appreciates the help that they are given by the Amigos Anonymous community.
As we spent the weekend with the students, we were also able to see how much the director, Rosalia, cares for and works with all of them. She meets with them individually to help them plan for the semester, and then she invites them to meet monthly as a group. At those meetings, they support each other, they discuss their studies, and they celebrate birthdays. Rosalia spends a lot of time making sure that the schools the students attend and the course of study they take is worthwhile, and will lead to a brighter future for each one. Here are updates on the students. Just a side note: “primaria” is K through 6th grade, “secundaria” is middle school, and “preparatoria” is high school.
This year Gustavo finished his degree in mechanical engineering and is working on an internship. He has many goals: to make a machine that recycles plastic, to study English, and to continue playing his clarinet. The automobile companies are making a big investment in the Celaya/Apaseo area, and Gustavo hopes to get a job with Honda in their new factory.
At the other end of the educational spectrum is Jose Angel, who will be finishing primaria this year. He was born in the United States, but his family was forced to move to Mexico, so he speaks English well, and loves to play soccer and work crossword and jigsaw puzzles. He had a wonderful fifth grade teacher who taught him all of the coursework for both fourth and fifth grade in one year.
One of the new students is Erick. He is in the third semester of preparatoria in Celaya, and wants to study engineering. He plays soccer and chess, and recently won a chess tournament!
Jose Alfredo has returned to the program after needing to drop out and work for a year to support his family. He is more motivated than ever now because he says, “I know what I can do.” He returns to work on an engineering degree in industrial systems at the University of Queretaro.
Esperanza is in her 4th semester at the Techno of Celaya, studying biochemical engineering. She finds it challenging, but is determined to succeed. She loves to read and dance the salsa.
Sergio has been with our program for many years. He continues to attend special education classes in Celaya and is quite an accomplished dancer.
Cecilia began her professional study last year in environmental engineering in the Techno de Celaya. She has earned awards for her scholastic achievements and plays volleyball and wants to learn to do folkloric dances.
Dennis is Jose Angel’s sister, and she is in her final year of preparatoria. Her group at school works on making agricultural products, such as cheese, yogurt and cajeta, but she would like to study languages along with whatever course of study she will take next year. She is fluent in English, having lived in Atlanta, Georgia.
Brenda Cecilia did very well in calculus last year, and will finish preparatoria this year. She would like to study business administration or biochemical engineering.
Sandra is also in her final year of the preparatoria. She would like to be a mathematics teacher and she also is in a marching band!
Jose Luis and Pedro Ernesto are both in secundaria, Jose Luis in his second year, and Pedro in his final year. Jose Luis plays the coronet in a band and Pedro likes to play both basketball and acoustic guitar!
Our newest scholarship recipient is Sarai. She is also in her final year of the preparatoria. Sarai also helps her family a lot with her younger sister who has cerebral palsy.
So there you have it—one student in primaria, two in secundaria, five in prepatoria (four of them to graduate this year!), three at the university level, and one in special education.
As the level of education rises, so do the costs, so we Amigos Anonymous have a great opportunity to be even more generous this year, to help these deserving young people be successful in their lives.
FATHER JOSEPH O’LOONEY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM STUDENTS, 2012-2013
From Sixth Graders to University Graduates!
What a wonderful experience to get to know so many wonderful, intelligent and diverse young people, and to realize that you are a part of helping them better their lives! My husband Jack and I had the wonderful opportunity to meet for the third year in a row, with the recipients of the Father O’Looney Scholarships in Apaseo el Grande, Guanajuato, Mexico. The director, Rosalia, took us on home visits to meet some of the new scholarship students, as well as catch up with continuing students. We were able to meet the families of these students and were impressed with how much the families provide a team effort to help their children succeed. The following day we met with the group as a whole, and listened to each individually as they talked about how their school year had gone and what their plans were for the future. The one common theme was how much every student appreciates the help that they are given by the Amigos Anonymous community.
As we spent the weekend with the students, we were also able to see how much the director, Rosalia, cares for and works with all of them. She meets with them individually to help them plan for the semester, and then she invites them to meet monthly as a group. At those meetings, they support each other, they discuss their studies, and they celebrate birthdays. Rosalia spends a lot of time making sure that the schools the students attend and the course of study they take is worthwhile, and will lead to a brighter future for each one. Here are updates on the students. Just a side note: “primaria” is K through 6th grade, “secundaria” is middle school, and “preparatoria” is high school.
This year Gustavo finished his degree in mechanical engineering and is working on an internship. He has many goals: to make a machine that recycles plastic, to study English, and to continue playing his clarinet. The automobile companies are making a big investment in the Celaya/Apaseo area, and Gustavo hopes to get a job with Honda in their new factory.
At the other end of the educational spectrum is Jose Angel, who will be finishing primaria this year. He was born in the United States, but his family was forced to move to Mexico, so he speaks English well, and loves to play soccer and work crossword and jigsaw puzzles. He had a wonderful fifth grade teacher who taught him all of the coursework for both fourth and fifth grade in one year.
One of the new students is Erick. He is in the third semester of preparatoria in Celaya, and wants to study engineering. He plays soccer and chess, and recently won a chess tournament!
Jose Alfredo has returned to the program after needing to drop out and work for a year to support his family. He is more motivated than ever now because he says, “I know what I can do.” He returns to work on an engineering degree in industrial systems at the University of Queretaro.
Esperanza is in her 4th semester at the Techno of Celaya, studying biochemical engineering. She finds it challenging, but is determined to succeed. She loves to read and dance the salsa.
Sergio has been with our program for many years. He continues to attend special education classes in Celaya and is quite an accomplished dancer.
Cecilia began her professional study last year in environmental engineering in the Techno de Celaya. She has earned awards for her scholastic achievements and plays volleyball and wants to learn to do folkloric dances.
Dennis is Jose Angel’s sister, and she is in her final year of preparatoria. Her group at school works on making agricultural products, such as cheese, yogurt and cajeta, but she would like to study languages along with whatever course of study she will take next year. She is fluent in English, having lived in Atlanta, Georgia.
Brenda Cecilia did very well in calculus last year, and will finish preparatoria this year. She would like to study business administration or biochemical engineering.
Sandra is also in her final year of the preparatoria. She would like to be a mathematics teacher and she also is in a marching band!
Jose Luis and Pedro Ernesto are both in secundaria, Jose Luis in his second year, and Pedro in his final year. Jose Luis plays the coronet in a band and Pedro likes to play both basketball and acoustic guitar!
Our newest scholarship recipient is Sarai. She is also in her final year of the preparatoria. Sarai also helps her family a lot with her younger sister who has cerebral palsy.
So there you have it—one student in primaria, two in secundaria, five in prepatoria (four of them to graduate this year!), three at the university level, and one in special education.
As the level of education rises, so do the costs, so we Amigos Anonymous have a great opportunity to be even more generous this year, to help these deserving young people be successful in their lives.