Invest in Carmela's Future
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Who is Carmela Plata Sanchez?
Carmela Plata Sanchez is the 14-year-old daughter of migrant farmworkers, growing up in with her 4 brothers and sisters and 15 cousins. Her family goes back to Immokalee, FL to work in tomatoes when they have to. But her parents have tried to mostly stay in Dayton, TN the last few years, so their kids can get a stable education. Carmela, especially, flourishes at school. She has won several awards for her writing; she's in the Beta Club, which requires at least a 93% average in Honors courses. She likes to write mystery stories, with thrilling cliff-hangers--and her siblings and cousins love to read them!
How Do Jake & Molly Know Carmela?
Molly's job is to support migrant farmworker families through helping kids stay and succeed in school. For the last five years, Carmela has been one of Molly's students. The trunk of Molly's car is full of books for the kids in the community, and she can attest that Carmela has read them all! Carmela has always been eager to learn. She's got a curious mind. But not only that: she has dreams. She says, "Every year we go to the fields, I see people who are depressed. I would like to get an education and a job that is not in the fields - that I actually like." She says she wants to make her dad proud by seeing the world and having a good job. She says she wants to either be a writer or else a doctor who works with kids.
A Golden Opportunity
Molly is not the only one who's recognized Carmela's great promise. Recently, Carmela was selected to attend the prestigious Junior National Young Leaders Conference, next month, in Washington, DC. With other student leaders from around the country, Carmela will have the extraordinary opportunity to spend 6 days in the nation's capitol, learning about and experiencing the power of democracy, being inspired by exemplary stories of courage, working together with other students to explore and discover solutions to issues the country is facing today, and enjoy a night in a museum with her new friends. To her academic excellence, this program offers to cultivate in Carmela leadership skills, and intensive college and career readiness.
Invest in this Future
Carmela's parents work all the time--so much, she says, that they're always exhausted. But there's no way they can afford this opportunity for their daughter. We decided to find a way, somehow, to make this happen for Carmela. Now, we're asking you to be part of making it happen. The youth leadership program isn't magic. It won't remove all the obstacles facing a girl growing up in poverty, in a migrant farmworker family. But it's a step in a long journey. It's encouragement. It's connection to a wider world, where Carmela's dreams might take root. Invest in this future. Investing in Carmela is investing in her family and her community. It's investing in hope for a new generation, and a new America. You can help send Carmela to this youth leadership training. Carmela loves to write mysteries with thrilling cliff-hangers. The story of her life right now has a cliff-hanger: will she get to go to this national youth leadership training? You get to be part of writing the answer. Please make your gift today.
Carmela Plata Sanchez is the 14-year-old daughter of migrant farmworkers, growing up in with her 4 brothers and sisters and 15 cousins. Her family goes back to Immokalee, FL to work in tomatoes when they have to. But her parents have tried to mostly stay in Dayton, TN the last few years, so their kids can get a stable education. Carmela, especially, flourishes at school. She has won several awards for her writing; she's in the Beta Club, which requires at least a 93% average in Honors courses. She likes to write mystery stories, with thrilling cliff-hangers--and her siblings and cousins love to read them!How Do Jake & Molly Know Carmela?
Molly's job is to support migrant farmworker families through helping kids stay and succeed in school. For the last five years, Carmela has been one of Molly's students. The trunk of Molly's car is full of books for the kids in the community, and she can attest that Carmela has read them all! Carmela has always been eager to learn. She's got a curious mind. But not only that: she has dreams. She says, "Every year we go to the fields, I see people who are depressed. I would like to get an education and a job that is not in the fields - that I actually like." She says she wants to make her dad proud by seeing the world and having a good job. She says she wants to either be a writer or else a doctor who works with kids.
A Golden Opportunity
Molly is not the only one who's recognized Carmela's great promise. Recently, Carmela was selected to attend the prestigious Junior National Young Leaders Conference, next month, in Washington, DC. With other student leaders from around the country, Carmela will have the extraordinary opportunity to spend 6 days in the nation's capitol, learning about and experiencing the power of democracy, being inspired by exemplary stories of courage, working together with other students to explore and discover solutions to issues the country is facing today, and enjoy a night in a museum with her new friends. To her academic excellence, this program offers to cultivate in Carmela leadership skills, and intensive college and career readiness.
Invest in this Future
Carmela's parents work all the time--so much, she says, that they're always exhausted. But there's no way they can afford this opportunity for their daughter. We decided to find a way, somehow, to make this happen for Carmela. Now, we're asking you to be part of making it happen. The youth leadership program isn't magic. It won't remove all the obstacles facing a girl growing up in poverty, in a migrant farmworker family. But it's a step in a long journey. It's encouragement. It's connection to a wider world, where Carmela's dreams might take root. Invest in this future. Investing in Carmela is investing in her family and her community. It's investing in hope for a new generation, and a new America. You can help send Carmela to this youth leadership training. Carmela loves to write mysteries with thrilling cliff-hangers. The story of her life right now has a cliff-hanger: will she get to go to this national youth leadership training? You get to be part of writing the answer. Please make your gift today.
Organizer
Jake Morrill
Organizer
Oak Ridge, TN
