Nov 9, 2011
BECA Student One of 30 Honored by Mexican President for Academic Excellence
Sholock Daniel Dominguez Arce, one of our amazing BECA scholarship recipients wasn’t able to attend our August BECA Fair in Ensenada because he had more important fish to fry. He was in Mexico City meeting President Felipe Calderon and being honored for his academic achievements.
Sholock, which means “lightning” in Kumeyay, is 12 years old and is the first grade of junior/middle school (comparable to our seventh grade). He’s a very fun-loving and disciplined boy that love music, plays soccer and regularly attends church. His father is a teacher in the San Antonio Necua Tribe and his mother works in the community museum while giving time to the tribe’s ecotourism project. He has two sisters, one 14 and one nine.
Every morning, Sholock wakes up at 5:00 a.m. so his parents can take him to the nearest small town to catch a bus at 5:45 that takes him to Ensenada by 6:45 to make school at 7:00. At the end of the day he takes another long bus to the Valley of Guadalupe where his parents pick him. Talk about dedication!
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Below is a translation of an article in EL MEXICANO that describes the students’ visit and scholarship:
Bicentenary Scholarship Given to 30 Children of the State
Honored by the president of Mexico Felipe Calderon
El MEXICANO
By Ismael Dávila
September 6, 2011
MEXICALI. – A group of 30 Baja California students were awarded the Bicentenary Scholarship that guarantees them economic support until they graduate from college. The group was received by the president of the Republic, Felipe Cauldron Hinojosa, during their visit to Mexico City.
Back in Baja California, filled with enthusiasm and happiness, the students shared this enriching experience with their parents, teachers and classmates, but they also had the opportunity to share it with students from student winners of the scholarship.
On August 30, the young students attended the Contest Awards Ceremony, also attended by the president of the Workers National Union, Elba Esther Gordillo Morales; the secretary of Public Education, Alfonso Lujambio Irazabal; the president of the council ‘Consejo del Fideicomiso Becas Generación Bicentenario-Nacional Monte de Piedad’, Antonio Navalón and the president of Monte de Piedad Teacher’s Union, Gerardo Limón Espíndola.
These scholarships recognize the efforts of kids and young people in their classrooms. The scholarship will provide monthly income support during all their academic years until they finish college.
The amount given will vary according to the education level they are currently enrolled. For example, elementary will receive $2,600 pesos, high school $3,600 pesos, preparatory $4,500 and superior education $6,000 pesos.
It is important to mention that the economic support will also depend on the student’s performance. In order to keep receiving this scholarship, the student will have to maintain good grades.
The entity was represented by 17 high school students and 13 elementary and middle school students. Adding this number to the total of representatives per municipality, here is how it looks: 17 belong to Ensenada, eight to Mexicali, four were from Tijuana and one from Tecate.
The winners were part of the “Generation Bicentenary” initiative, organized by the Secretary of Public Education and the Educational Workers National Union as part of the 200th anniversary of the Mexican Independence and the Centenary of the Mexican Revolution.
The scholarships vary from the $2,600 to the $6,000 pesos.
