Hello Friends and Family:

I hope you are enjoying the Spring!

This year, as I turn 15, instead of the traditional quinceañera party, I am going on a volunteer program to Costa Rica for three weeks with Amigos, a national non-profit organization dedicated to service in Latin America.

To help with my own expenses, I applied and received a $1,000 Alumni award to help defray the costs but I still need help to meet all of the expenses.

In Costa Rica, the theme of my project is marine conservation. I am passionate about it because I want to be able to do my part in helping with climate issues around the world, both in San Francisco and in other areas, as well as learning about nature and biology through first hand experiences. My volunteer experience in Panama last year with Amigos was eye opening and gave me a new perspective. After that, I realized that while I care about all kinds of climate issues, as well as biology topics, the ones that interest me the most are the ones regarding marine environments.

This trip will help me learn more about myself and my passions and discover what I like learning about and what I want to further investigate later on in my life.

Thanks for your generous contributions towards my interests. All amounts are greatly appreciated and a great birthday gift! Mil gracias!

With gratitude,

Ona Rincon-Ruby