Dear Friends and Family:

Recently, a teacher at Valley High School reached out to us (Tiffany and Cindy as we are both chairs of district resource groups) with a request to help a student. This request is beyond the scope of the Student Scholarship Fund and the WDMCS Foundation, but we are hoping it is not beyond us to find some way to help her. There is an amazing young lady, Sofia, who attends Valley High School and will be graduating this semester. She is working hard to go to college, and her teacher is working hard to help her with applications, etc. But, as you will see in the note below, Sofia needs something that won’t be covered by her tuition or any scholarship to college, a computer. Below is more information about Sofia and her next steps.

Sofia came to the US 2 years ago with VERY limited English. She and her mom are here on a Violence Against Women Act visa. She has mastered English and completed her entire high school diploma in 2 years. She is graduating this semester. She, along with the RISE program at Valley High School have created a scholarship that has raised close to $15,000 to award to an immigrant student wishing to further their education. She currently does not yet have her work permit to earn money, though she is in the process. She is a powerhouse of motivation and has been working tirelessly to raise money for other students. She is also planning to become an immigration attorney to advocate for others that are going through what she has struggled through. She has a very high GPA and has been accepted to multiple high level colleges. Her teacher has been working with her to apply to colleges in search of a fully funded education, as she doesn’t have any money and she also doesn’t have a way to get a loan or do work study as she currently can’t work and doesn’t have a SSN. She will be graduating mid year and will then no longer have her school supplied Chromebook. She has been borrowing a computer from her mother and it isn’t functioning well. The computer continuously needs rebooting as she is filling out applications. She really needs a laptop to function in college. She has helpers that are confident she will have her college tuition and room and board covered, but she won’t be able to do the work without a laptop.

This is where we make a big “ask” of our friends - if you would be willing to help out Sofia with a donation to help her buy a computer, we would be thrilled to tell her teacher that people here in her new hometown want to help her succeed. Every person we have talked to that has come into contact with Sofia is so impressed by her. Our goal is to raise the money she would need for a good laptop to help her through her college career. Colleges have given her specs for a computer in the range of $1,500 to $2,000. Please reach out to us directly if you would be willing to help us help Sofia. Giving a student the “gift” of an education is one of the most important things we can do.

Thank you so much for considering our request.

Cindy Todd and Tiffany Barlow