| | |  Vallarta Living | September 2009 
Becas Vallarta Making Dreams Come True
 Polly G. Vicars - PVNN
September 29, 2009
| | Guadalupe Gonzalez Ortiz | |
| | Mahanaim Saldivar Martinez | |
| | Carlos Alberto Hernandez Davila | |
| | Ruben Alarcón Ramirez | |
| | Rocio Dircio Rodriguez | |
| | Dalia Alejandra Arroyo Urbino | |
In August, after a weekend of meeting with more than 300 scholarship students for the 2009-10 school year, I wrote 'A Weekend of Feeling Like a Million Dollars,' telling why working with Becas Vallarta, A.C. (America-Mexico Foundation, Inc.) left me and my fellow Becas members, literally feeling like a million dollars.
I wrote about some of the incredible members of this organization which has provided scholarships for thousands of Puerto Vallarta young people of great ability and small economic resources. We fervently believe that by giving these young people this small hand-up great things will happen - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and the world will be better when they take their places as professionals and leaders. And I told you how you could be a part of this grand endeavor. Click HERE to learn more.
Today I want you to meet a few of those young Becas Vallarta scholarship people who are currently in Puerto Vallarta schools. At the meetings we gave the students numbered sheets on which we asked that they tell us what Becas Vallarta meant to them.
Then we photographed each student with the numbered statements. Of course those papers were written in Spanish, and while I know enough Spanish to get the gist of what they were saying, I couldn’t be sure of a proper translation. So I called on Maestro Melchor Cortes Cortes and Becas member Señora Buri Gray to translate their statements.
Melchor, who taught Husband and me to speak the beautiful Spanish Language passably, even with our southern drawls, and who is our very best friend, never turns me down when I ask him to help with Becas business. We sat down together to translate our half of the papers. After reading the Spanish, he dictated the English translation to me to type on my computer.
It was a humbling experience to hear how those young people expressed gratitude to Becas Vallarta in many different forms. It all made the little we do sound like so much that it was almost embarrassing. Most mentioned the fact that even though their parents were trying to help them, they really didn’t have the resources to match their desires for their children’s good education. Here is a sampling of what they wrote.
14 year old Guadalupe Gonzalez Ortiz, who, for three years has maintained an almost perfect grade point average, attends Junior High at Secundaria Federal #60 (La Aurora). She wrote: "Becas Vallarta helps me by making it possible to continue my studies. Of course my parents help me, but the scholarship ensures that I can continue in school. This is a great help for us. With this help it will be easier for me to end with a great career. Thank you Becas Vallarta."
16 year old Mahanaim Saldívar Martinez attends High School at CECYTEJ (Colegio de Estudios Cientificos y Tecnológicos del Estado de Jalisco). She wrote: "Becas Vallarta has helped me to be able to pay for and continue with my studies. They bought my shoes, tennis shoes and my uniforms and my supplies needed at the beginning of the classes. Because they have helped me I am able to continue with my studies and I thank them with all my heart. And my parents also thank them because the support that I receive has helped them as I have a brother who also attends school and my parents can spend less money thanks to Becas Vallarta."
15 year old Carlos Alberto Hernandez Davila attends High School at Colegio Bachillearato Tecnológico Industrial y de Servicios (CBTIS). He wrote: "Becas Vallarta has helped me to be able to continue with my studies in high school because my father, a brick layer, gives me what he can, but it wouldn’t have been enough for me to stay in school. Sometimes we did not have money to pay for the entrance fee because his work is not very steady and now we can pay with the help of Becas Vallarta. Thanks Becas Vallarta!"
18 year old Ruben Alarcón Ramirez attends University at the Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Puerto Vallarta (ITSDPV) wrote: "The scholarship that I receive has helped me not to be a burden to my parents because with the money that I receive I pay a large part of my expenses. Besides, the fact that I have this scholarship motivates me to continue with my studies."
21 year old Rocio Dircio Rodriguez attends University at Centro Universitario de la Costa (CUC), a branch of the University of Guadalajara. Her statement: "Becas Vallarta has helped me in the times that I’ve been in really bad situations for the lack of money to buy the necessary things for the university. The scholarship has been my savior. I have used it also to pay for medication and for all of this time I thank you very much. One day I hope to be able to contribute to the cause!"
20 year old Dalia Alejandra Arroyo Urbino also attends the University at Centro Universitario de la Costa (CUC), a branch of the University of Guadalajara. She wrote: "I want to thank a lot this organization for their valuable help in order to complete my studies. It was, is and will continue to be an organization with which my parents and I will be grateful for the rest of our lives. Thank you for helping young people like me to make our dreams come true!"
To make more dreams come true mark your calendars now for the first Becas Breakfast of this season on Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 9:30 am at the fabulous beachfront restaurant La Palapa, Pulpito 103, telephone (322) 222-5225. Tickets are $150 pesos each and must be purchased in advance from any member of Becas or from the cashier at La Palapa.
There will be a delicious sit down breakfast, raffle prizes from many of Vallarta’s best stores and restaurants, a silent auction of art and great trips and the satifaction of knowing that you are a part of this great endeavor to help Vallarta’s young people get the education they want and deserve.
You can always call me for tickets and for more information at (322) 223-1371 or write me at phvicars(at)gmail.com.
OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS:
• Becas Breakfast at The River Café, Wednesday, December 16, 2009 9:30 am
• Becas Breakfast at Daiquiri Dick’s on Wednesday, January 20, 2010 9:30 am
• Becas Valentine’s Brunch and Fashion Show at La Leche on Wednesday, February 17, 2010 - time to be announced.
 Polly G. Vicars and her husband of almost 60 years, Hubert (a.k.a. "Husband") retired to Puerto Vallarta in 1988 and soon became active members of several charitable organizations. Polly is the author of "Tales of Retirement in Paradise: Life in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico" [a sell-out!] and "More Tales of Retirement in Puerto Vallarta and Around the World." Proceeds from the sale of her books go to the America-Mexico Foundation, a scholarship foundation that is their passion.
Click HERE for more articles by Polly Vicars, or click HERE to learn more about Becas Vallarta and the America-Mexico Foundation. |
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