ALPHA BETA FOUNDATION

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June 15, 2016

 

Dear Alpha Beta Chapter,

 

My name is Elvira Garcia and I am the 2016 Dr. Mary Meade Scholarship recipient. Not only am I the recipient of this prestigious and honorable scholarship, but I am the first in my family to go to college. During my college application process, I was so worried and stressed about how I was going to be able to afford to pay my college tuition. I had the option to go to a community college, but I wanted to go to a private institution because of all the benefits that come with going to a private institution. The small classroom size, the variety of opportunities and other more benefits. All the pressure was on me because my parents do not know English fluently, I had to research about the college and financial process. I am blessed and happy that I could receive the Dr. Mary Meade Scholarship. Thanks to this scholarship, I could select St. John's University as my undergraduate college.

 

I have used this scholarship to purchase my textbooks for my classes and pay for specific requirements for my teaching license (fingerprints and teaching courses). I am currently a sophomore Childhood Education Major with a concentration in Sociology. I hope to receive my Masters in Teaching English as a Secondary Language because growing up I struggled since Spanish is my first language. I grew up in a Spanish household, my parents and I did not know English very well. It wasn't until I started grammar school I learned English. I was in an ESL class for four years in grammar school, I struggled but eventually learned. I want to teach and inspire students that are ESL students and possibly going through some obstacles. I want to inspire these students that if I did, they can do it as well. Hopefully, that will encourage them to excel and achieve many great things. 

 

Whenever I can, I do my best to go out to the communities and help. Last year I continued to be a catechist at my local church and participate in a service trip to Germantown, Philadelphia. My experience as a catechist last year helped me in my education courses because I could relate what I was learning in my classroom. At the beginning of this year, I got the opportunity to participate in a service trip through St. John's University in Germantown, Philadelphia. One of the services we did throughout that week was to visit a HeadStart School every day and help the students in their classrooms. Although I was only there for a week, these students impacted my life because some of these students needed love and motivation. I did my best to be very positive and happy with these students because, according to their teachers, they come from low-income families who sometimes do not get enough attention as their parents are working hard just to put food on the table. As a teacher, it is very important to be aware of that because we should support our students as much as possible. This year I applied to participate in an international service trip to Panama. I know if I do get accepted to go on this service trip, it is not going to be the easiest thing, but I hope to grow more as a person. I am a part of several organizations and clubs at St. John's University. One of the clubs, the St. Vincent De Paul Society, (I am in the E-Board, serving as the Parliamentarian) in which we focus on the service aspect. We do our best to reach out and help communities in need on Staten Island. 

 

After reading my story and who I am now because I received this prestigious scholarship, I do hope that Alpha Beta Chapter continues to fund this scholarship. As a first-generation American and College student, this scholarship particularly has given me the opportunity to excel in my education in a career that I am passionate about, which is teaching. 

 

 

Thank you, 

 

 

Elvira Garcia