Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Loyal Becas Vallarta/American-Mexico Foundation supporters know that this year we are funding the scholarships of almost 400 local young people eighth grade through university. You also know these scholarships are given to students of great ability and little economic backing who maintain a grade point average of an 8.5 out of a possible 10. It is important to note that we have no office, office equipment or paid staff and that all work is done by devoted members with their own supplies and equipment, with almost every peso raised going toward scholarships.

Let me tell you about the schools which our scholarship students attend. They are in fourteen junior highs, five senior highs and nine universities ranging all over Puerto Vallarta and it environs. Some junior highs are technical schools offering opportunities for students to learn skills such as sewing, carpentry, electricity, cooking, computing, etc. Some are schools taught almost entirely by television teachers. All teach the fundamentals of reading, writing and arithmetic.

The senior highs also are varied in their curriculum with some specializing in the technical and others in college preparation. All are top notch and taught by devoted teachers who do a fantastic job under some really adverse conditions such as overcrowded classrooms and low salaries.

We are fortunate to have so many universities offering a variety of undergraduate degrees. And now CUC, the Puerto Vallarta Branch of the University of Guadalajara, is even offering degrees in medicine!

We want you to really see some of these schools and our students in action so on November 30 we are sponsoring a tour of three schools, one junior high - Escuela Secundaria Tecnica #15, Pesquera; one senior high — Ignacio Jacobo; and one university - UNIVA. Tickets are only $500 pesos and include touring on an air conditioned bus and finishing the day with lunch at Los Alcatraces in Fluvial.

Board the buses at the front gate of the Molino de Aqua on Aquiles Serdan in Colonia Emiliano Zapata promptly at 9:00 am on Wednesday, November 30. For your required advance ticket call or email me at (322) 223-1371 or 044-322-182-0215 or phvicars(at)gmail.com. You may also contact any other member of Becas for your ticket. This is another not to be missed Becas event - so call me!