A GOOOOOL for OUR STUDENTS is a crowd funding project created by HIPGive to help Hispanic non-profit organizations in America with specific fund raising initiatives. Our campaign, has the objective to send youngsters enrolled in LAWA's Padres y Padrinos progam to a summer soccer camp. It will give youngsters the opportunity to improve their academic and physical skills, raising their grades in school.
Four LAWA volunteers and staff members are engaged in this project, which has been an invaluable learning experience.
According to the last census Mecklenburg Co. has the highest Hispanic density in the Carolinas.
More information you may find on HIPGive!
Among other things I have been posting stories about fictitious characters who represent young people in our Hispanic community.
Since the plan was to raise money for five students, we linked each of them to a country competing for the World Cup 2014: Mexico, Honduras, Argentina, Colombia, Brazil.
These are my stories:
1. This is the story of José Luis
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| México is one of the Word Cup Participants |
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|
This is the story of José Luis, a young boy, whose parents
came from México and settled down in North Carolina. José Luis is 10 years old, the youngest of
five children, who is growing up with hopes and dreams like any other boy of
his age. He goes to school on Charlotte’s East Side, together with boys and
girls whose parents came from many countries around the world.
On weekends, he watches kids
playing soccer, but he is too shy to participate. You know, he is a bit overweight
and feels embarrassed when he sees the other strong kids play.
BUT José Luis, his parents call him
Pepe, dreams to become a soccer player, maybe a famous one…
He has seen some flyers about a
special camp for boys and girls his age; could that be something for him? Are
his mom and dad able to afford such expense? Chances are they are not: There is
no lunch program available during the summer, only the two oldest siblings have
a part time job, Pepe needs new clothes, how can they afford to send him to an
expensive soccer camp?
Everybody is talking about soccer
these days, and the news about the World Cup makes Pepe even more anxious to
play. He hopes Mexico will win the Cup and he wants to learn how to be a great
soccer player. He wants to enjoy fresh air, be healthy and enter school in
August ready to be among the best students in his class.
Would you help José Luis, fulfill
his dream? Any amount, as little as ONE DOLLAR, will help put a smile of his
face.
Support
José Luis by clicking here.
¡VIVA
MEXICO!
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual
persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
2. Juan Carlos –from Siguatepeque
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| The country will compete for the Wordl Cup 2014 |
Juan
Carlos and his family came to
Charlotte NC from Honduras. He was 5 years old and his sister María Elena was
2. His grandparents and Juan Carlos’s godfather, also named Juan Carlos, still
live back in Siguatepeque
He
knows that his padrino is a great soccer player; he
wants to be like his padrino…
When Juan Carlos comes back from school,
off he goes to play with his friends. They play in a vacant lot, not far from
home. There is no real soccer field, nor is there a real goal post, but they
have fun while they dream to be famous soccer players.
Every morning his mother listens to a
local Spanish language radio station. She likes to hear when the reporter talks
about the Hispanic community, and how wonderful was it for Juan Carlos to find out that the Honduran National team is competing
in the World Cup!
He is so proud to be from Honduras!
“Maybe the reporter knows
my abuelo in Siguatepeque” - thinks Juan Carlos- “maybe he could send
greetings over the radio one day and let abuelo
and padrino know he is also playing
soccer like the people back home.”
Juan
Carlos heard that LAWA is raising money to send five young students
from his school district to soccer camp; he hopes to be among the five. How
wonderful would it be to play on a real soccer field, get to know other young
students, and have some fun in the summer.
With
your help and your small donation, Juan
Carlos, together with four other kids, would see their dream come true.
Please be generous, donate in Juan
Carlos’ name and vote for Honduras that is competing against Switzerland,
Ecuador, and France at the World Cup 2014.
Would you help Juan Carlos fulfill his dream? Any amount, as little as ONE DOLLAR,
will help put a smile on his face.
Support
him by clicking here
¡GRACIAS AMIGOS de HONDURAS!
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual
persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
3. Andrés Ponce – Soccer & Argentina.
I interviewed
Andrés,
one of
LAWA’s scholarship recipients. He was born in Argentina and came to
Charlotte when he was eight years old.
Tell
me about your passion for soccer?
"I have been playing soccer since I was 9 years old. First, I played with Charlotte United FC and my high school team. Currently, I am playing with a recreational soccer team because the players are former school mates of mine and it is fun"
How has the game helped
you physically and mentally?
" Playing sports is great because it allows you to develop a sense for teamwork. At the same time, it challenges you to be better and improve in everything you do. I know for a fact, if you want to challenge yourself, participating in sports is the best place to start"
Do you believe
Argentina will win the Cup this year?
"Yes, I am nearly 100% positive about it!"
Why?
"Based on how well Argentina has been doing the past year, there is a good chance they will win the World Cup. Especially, since they have highly recognized and talented players like Agüero, Higuain, Lavezzi, Messi*, Burdisso, Mascherano, amd more! I believe they can win!"
"This project is fantastic! Along with all the other programs, LAWA is helping the Hispanic Community tremendously. This project in particular, will give youngsters the opportunity to improve their academic and physical skills. And best of all, they will be able to enjoy playing sports."
Why is it important to
support our young students by giving them a chance to go to soccer camp?
"Participating in a soccer camp is great for developing all kinds of abilities: from teamwork, to foot-work, to agility, to speed, and most of all, the ability to play the game."
*Download Nexos
Latinos and read more about Messi on p. 16
This is your opportunity to vote for the "winning" team, and at the same time, supporting our youngsters with your small donation!
Tell your friends and soccer fans to click here
4. Ana has a pen pal in
Pereira
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| I invite all Colombians to vote & support Ana |
Ana
came to Charlotte from Pereira, Colombia. She is bilingual, but still needs
more practice with both languages. In order to write in Spanish and help her pen
pal María Teresa in Colombia with English, they write each often
Ana
uses the computer in the Media Center of her school. Here is what the girls
wrote last week:
Ana:
Hola María Teresa,
¿Cómo pasaste el fin de semana? Yo fui a un
parque muy bonito y jugué fútbol con mis amigas. Todo el mundo habla de la Copa
Mundial. Mi sueño es jugar durante este verano. Haz click en la dirección de LAWA para que veas el
proyecto que tienen en este momento. Ya hay dinero para cinco compañeros de mi
escuela, pero tengo muchas esperanzas que yo también pueda participar. En mi
casa no alcanza el dinero para estas cosas… Cuéntame ¿cómo es el equipo de fútbol colombiano?
¿Va a ganar la copa? En este momento estoy pensando en el regalo que le voy a
hacer a mi mamá para el Día de las Madres. ¿Qué le vas a regalar a la tuya?
Saludos
Ana
P.S.
Mi maestra de español me ayudó a escribir mi mensaje, contéstame pronto
María Teresa:
Thank you for the message. I like all your questions.
¡Yeeeeeeeees, Colombia is going to win! We have very good players. I am making
a very pretty card for my mami in art
class, I hope she likes it; she is so good and works very hard to give us a
happy life!
I am so happy you have a chance to play soccer this
summer, it is wonderful how HIPGive is helping Hispanics in America!
I am learning English in school and my teacher helped
me with my message also. Write me again
soon!!!!!!!
Your friend M.T.
Ana knows that LAWA is raising money to send five
young students from her school district to soccer camp; she hopes to be among
the five or six? There is still a week
left to make a donation. How wonderful would it be to play on a real soccer field,
to be outdoors and have fun this summer.
With your help you can send Ana to camp. Please be generous,
donate in her name and vote for Colombia! At this point we need $500 to make
her dream come true. Just $1, $5, or $10 will do!
¡MIL GRACIAS a los AMIGOS de COLOMBIA!
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual
persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
This campaign will end on May 16th. We reached our initial goal some days ago. HIPGive encouraged us to continue asking for donations, which will allow Ana join the summer camp also.
We have 60 funders, and need 40 more to be eligible for a special prize! But more than big money, at this point we need just $1. to increase the number of funders!
LAWA counts with your continuous generosity.
I hope you enjoy reading these stories; they are part of LAWA's history and commitment towards the betterment of our community.
