Scholarships for San Pedro Nonualco

The Scholars

In only our second year, thanks to much general support, we were able to provide scholarships to nineteen new students bringing the total number of students supported by the scholarship committee to 22.

There is of course no single profile for the students that earn a scholarship, except that they are united in their desire to learn and that they lack financial resources. The new scholars come from families whose average size is 7 and whose average monthly income approximately $80. 14 of the new scholarships went to students first enrolling in high school (pictured right with a parent). The others went to support 5 excellent current students who were going to have to drop out for lack of funds.

Below we have profiled four of the scholarship recipients. We hope to be able to support even more.

"Learning is a treasure which accompanies its owner everywhere."

Name: Brenda Yessenia Jimenez Valladares
Date of Birth: July 14, 1989
Home Life : Brenda and her younger sister live with their grandmother as her father died some years ago and her mother has a serious mental disability. Supported only by an Aunt, Brenda went to work for a year after graduating from 9th grade, but jumped on the chance to continue studying.
Favorite Subject : Math and Social Studies
Most Difficult Subject: Math
Inspiration: Brenda has struggled through a lot of adversity growing up yet she has always managed to succeed in school. She really enjoys learning just for the sake of it.
“In my dreams…” Brenda is studying at a University (or maybe playing professional soccer!)

Name: Maria Del Carmen Rodriguez Hernandez
Date of Birth: June 24, 1991
Home Life : Maria shares a house with her three siblings and parents in a compound with a dozen more relatives. Her father gets work as an agricultural laborer when possible.
Favorite Subject: Math and Social Studies
Most Difficult Subject: English
Inspiration: Maria hopes she will be able to help her family and has been motivated by the poverty she sees all around her growing up to pursue a higher education so she can do something about it.
“In my dreams…” Maria aspires to a political career as mayor or national legislator seeking to alleviate the poverty of her countrymen (and women).

Name: Sergio Ezquiel Orellana Bernal
Date of Birth: March 21, 1983
Home Life: Sergio lives with his seven brothers in the town of farming community of San Ramon.
Favorite Subject: Math- he just understands it
Most Difficult Subject: English
Inspiration: Already the first person in his family to make it past the sixth grade, Sergio never thought he would get the opportunity either and has seized this opportunity.
“In my dreams…” Sergio is studying at a University to become a teacher so he can come back and help inspire the next generation.

Name: Doris Elizabeth Diaz Parada
Date of Birth: November 10, 1988
Home Life: Doris lives one of the smallest farming villages in San Pedro along with five other family members. She finished 9th grade two years ago but her family couldn't afford to send her to high school. She worked for two years until this scholarship gave her the opportunity to continue her studies.
Favorite Subject: Language-she likes to read the great works
Most Difficult Subject: Math
Inspiration : Doris hopes that school will help her get ahead in life and enable her to support her family.
“In my dreams…” Doris is still discovering where this education might take her.