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 Vallarta Living | February 2007 
Some Days Are Better than Others
 Polly G. Vicars - PVNN
| | Bernice Starr presenting José with a certificate of honor for his high grades | 
| | Jose in Prepa | 
| | Judy Galeana who was in charge of junior high students | 
| | Alejandrina, Social Worker at Las Palmas Junior High | 
| | José now in his last year of Universidad | 
| | José and Polly | 
| | Jose's beautiful plaque |
My mother must have been prescient when she called me "Polly," as all of my life I have been kind of a Pollyana finding something wonderful almost every day. My motto has always been a paraphrase of "There ain't no bad days sisters and brothers, it's just that some are better than others." And last Saturday was one of those "better than others."
On that day, Husband and I received a telephone call from José Marciano, a young man from Las Palmas, a scenic pueblo about 25 miles northeast of Vallarta. He had become a becado (scholarship student) back in 1994. While he was only one among many, we remembered him vividly as his story was quite different from the average boy.
In those days, Bernice Starr, Joan Blake, Judy and Angelo Galeana were running the America-Mexico Foundation, Inc., (now Becas Vallarta, A.C.) with a small cadre of Mexican, American and Canadian helpers. Husband and I were so impressed with the Foundation and the help they were giving to bright, but needy kids of Puerto Vallarta, that we jumped right in to help.
Las Palmas (Escuela Federal #55) was one of the eleven junior highs where the foundation was giving scholarships to eighth and ninth graders. Each September, Judy, Angelo, Husband and I would pack up applications, records from the previous year and visit each of the schools to screen the incoming 8th grade class with the social worker and principal.
Students had previously filled out applications giving us the family background - numbers of sisters and brothers, family income, usual meals, grade point averages and more. There were always many more applications than scholarship slots available.
We had very strict criteria - 8.0 grade point average out of a possible 10, excellent citizenship/deportment and dire financial need. If all other criteria were met by competing applicants financial need became the deciding factor.
During our 1994 visit, Alejandrina Huizar Cisneros, the social worker at Las Palmas, asked us to meet with a very unusual young man, José Marciano. After finishing elementary school, José could not go on to junior high because his family with 4 children was extremely poor.
His father's tenant farming earned very little money. Obeying his father, José had to go to work, not school, and he put away little bits of money until finally he had enough to return to school. He loved learning and made straight 10's (all A's.)
Then his father told him he could not go back the following year as the money he was spending on school was needed by family. That was when Alejandrina asked us to meet with José.
He was a shy, clean cut young man who went straight to our hearts. Of course we awarded him a scholarship, which was not going to be enough for his father to allow him to continue in school. In those days, the scholarship consisted of one-half of the students school expenses: uniforms, books, assessments, transportation, lunches, etc.
At a meeting with José and his father arranged by Alejandrina,Husband and I talked with father about José's eagerness to learn and how bright he was. We offered to pay the other half of his scholarship so that he would not be spending any of the family's hard earned income.
The father really wanted José to work full time, but my friends know I can be pretty persuasive, so a deal was struck. José would go to school!
It is hard for us gringos to realize how much just a small amount of money can accomplish down here! José continued his straight 10's and came to visit with us, bringing his report card every three months for his stipend.
He finished junior and senior high. After his senior year he came to visit, we thought to discuss his university plans. He informed us that he was not going to continue his education right away, but was going to work to help his family while trying to save what he could to further his education at a later date. We tried to convince him to continue, but he had a plan and was sticking to it.
Life went on and through our work with the AMF we met and worked with many other students and I am ashamed to say that as the months and years went by we didn't often think of José even though we had become very fond of him. Happily, by this time things had changed so that junior high scholarships consisted of paying in full for uniforms, dress shoes, gym clothes, tennis shoes and all text books.
When the government finally stepped up and began furnishing books, we then were able to provide all the needed school supplies: calculators, pens, pencils, dictionaries, notebooks, etc. instead of books.
When out of the blue, we got the call from José Mariano and he arrived we could hardly believe how grown up he had become! We should not have been surprised to find he is now 29. He told us that he was in the University of Guadalajara's Vallarta branch, CUC, studying accounting with only two semesters to go before graduation.
As we chatted, he presented to us a plaque, beautifully mounted on wood. When I read the heart warming words, of course in Spanish, a lump formed in my throat and tears began to trickle. He had written in poetic prose the most incredible tribute to Husband and me in thanks for our help.
Indeed some days are better than others, and that day surely is on the top of our list for one of the best days ever!
If you would like to help some other bright young person achieve her or his educational goal there are many avenues for you. First you can buy tickets and come to the 45th Anniversary Becas Ball on Friday, March 9th at the beautiful Westin Regina Hotel.
And you can sponsor a student through the foundation. For one year it only takes $160 US to sponsor a junior high student, $450 US to sponsor a senior high student or $600 to sponsor a university student.
Donations to honor birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions are welcomed and announced to the honoree with a cheery greeting card. Memorials to loved ones are also a great way to help. The family of the loved ones will also receive a lovely card announcing the gift.
Of course you can become a working member of Becas Vallarta, A.C. and really get to know these special kids. Practically every cent you donate goes directly to scholarships. The Foundation has no paid staff, no office, no equipment, no telephone. All projects are carried out by caring members!
Join us, you will love it! For tickets or more information visit the Website HERE, or call me at 223-1371.
 Polly G. Vicars and her husband of 55 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 Puerto Vallarta articles by Polly Vicars.. |
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