Profiling Tepehua – September 2024

With each passing year, I have more and more admiration for young people who set their mind to achieve major educational goals. The challenges they face are monumental. Up in the barrio of Tepehua that quest is even more apparent, as it is obvious that there are economic challenges on all fronts for a great many people. For several families, continued education for their offspring seems unreachable, but thankfully organizations like Tepehua Community Center step in to help students who show merit, persistence, and have supportive families. I had the great pleasure recently of talking to some of the recipients of Tepehua scholarships. Today I would like to share their stories with our readers.

Andrea, age 10, will be going into 5th grade. One day she would like to be a doctor. She loves math and reading, sports and coloring. She is one of five children in her family. Her older brother taught her and another sibling to play chess, and Andrea has gone on to compete in a regional tournament, achieving three wins. Her future looks bright!

Citlali, age 16, will finish high school in two more years. Her goal is to study law at the University of Guadalajara in Ocotlán, following in the footsteps of her older sister. She likes studying English, running, ballet (has taken many years of classes) and crafts. She also assists in her family’s small print shop.

Rene, age 11, will be in 6th grade. He loves Spanish grammar, math, and soccer. He is one of six children (ages 6-18) and wants to be a police officer. He has a friendly yet serious tone, and I know he will reach his goals.

Ricardo, age 24, was unable to meet with me, but his mother (who is a nurse in our Tepehua clinic) came to tell me about him. He has six months left to finish his psychology degree in Ocotlán, with the goal of becoming a psychology professor. A year ago, he and his family discovered he had Alport Syndrome, a genetic disorder characterized by kidney disease and possible loss of hearing and vision.

Despite these new challenges, he pushes on with great support from his tight-knit family. He loves to sing and has had three opportunities to take part in “The Voice Mexico” events. He loves crafts, particularly decorating for Day of the Dead events and Christmas. We wish Ricardo great success and happiness.

Edgar, age 23, just completed his degree in dentistry from UTEG in Guadalajara and now looks forward to a year’s practicum in a public dental health clinic. When I asked him what he likes to do in his spare time, he told me, “Soccer, running” and then with a big smile on his face said, “playing and taking care of my six-month-old daughter.” He and his wife and daughter are living with his family in Tepehua, and both of these young parents are juggling the challenges of raising a child with their educational goals. Edgar wants to practice dentistry in Chapala, so I for one will be looking forward to following his career.

Adriana, 17, has one more year of high school ahead of her, and afterwards she plans to study pharmacology at the university in Guadalajara. Currently she holds a 97% average in all her courses, and also won first place in a Science Olympics competition. On top of that, she loves to read and write stories. Keep up the excellent work Adriana!

These students are just a handful of those that comprise our FUTURE. Despite the challenges they face, they are determined to reach their goals. If you have interest in participating in Tepehua’s Educational Support Program, please contact Tepehua’s President, Sandra Zamora, at tepehua.chapala@outlook.com.