This fall, Valerie begins her college journey, pursuing forensic science and art. As a first‑generation American and the daughter of Guatemalan immigrants who have worked tirelessly to support their children’s education, she has earned significant financial aid—but there is still a real and urgent gap. She needs help covering what aid does not: tuition, room and board, books, and a basic laptop. These are the essentials that will determine whether she can start college focused on learning rather than on financial strain.

I want Valerie to step onto campus with confidence, not worry. Your support will directly remove the barriers standing between her and the education she has worked so hard to achieve. Every contribution—large or small—will make a meaningful difference in her life and allow her to fully invest in her studies and creative passions.

I met Valerie when she was nine years old, a quiet but naturally gifted artist in my ceramics class at Casa Italiana in Washington, DC. Her father worked there, and we bonded quickly over art and the fact that we both come from families with three brothers. Over the past nine years, I’ve watched her grow into a remarkable young woman—talented, thoughtful, and determined.

Her parents remind me of my own Italian immigrant grandparents: arriving in the U.S., meeting in a new city, and understanding instinctively that education is the path to opportunity. My grandfather made sure all three of his children went to college. Valerie’s parents have done the same—sending their children to Washington Latin for a rigorous classical education. Valerie will now be the third child to attend college and the first to study outside D.C. She was accepted to all three schools she applied to and has committed to Allegheny College in Pennsylvania.

If you have ideas for scholarships or other resources that could support Valerie, please reach out by email, text, or phone. For those on Instagram, Valerie also runs a small crochet and jewelry business. She takes orders and ships items; you can message her at effectrix_crochet (https://www.instagram.com/effectrix_crochet/). When she can she also sells her work at the Cleveland Park Night Market on Thursday evenings in D.C.

If you prefer to donate by check, please email me and I will share my mailing address.

Thank you for considering this request and for helping Valerie begin her college career with the stability and support she deserves.

All the best,

Nancy

P.S. I've included a picture of myself wearing one of her hats, a set of her jewelry from her Valentine's Day collection and one of her pieces from Casa Italiana (I have more pictures of her ceramics but was limited with what I can post here).