A local non-profit organization continues to fulfill its promise of helping and guiding those in need for a better future.
See story on **[KTSM’s website.]{:target=”blank”}(https://www.ktsm.com/local/el-paso-news/project-arriba-marks-20-years-of-helping-those-i…
Maria de Los Angeles Barragan was born and raised in Juarez Chihuahua, Mexico. She moved to El Paso in 2006 upon acquiring residence, and started her new life. She knew she needed to learn the English language and immediately started looking for assistance. She was able to acquire her GED through the San Jacinto Learning Center. Soon after she enrolled at EPCC for ESL classes, and it was t...
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Christina Granillo applied to Project ARRIBA in summer of 2014 after being accepted into the University of Texas at El Paso’s nursing program. As a single mother of a young boy, Christina worked a part time job to provide for her son, as well as to cover the anticipated expenses associated with nursing school and childcare.
During the enrollment process, Christina shared that she was despe...
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Born and and raised in Denver, CO., Kimberly Gonzalez began her college journey at Amarillo College in 2011. However, as a single parent, she was only able to take 1 to 2 classes per semester while working full-time.
With very little support from her family, Kimberly moved to El Paso in hope of receiving additional help from her son’s father while she worked and furthered her education. ...
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Veronica knew the only way she could support her family with three small children was to gain a post-secondary education. After completing her prerequisites for the nursing program at the El Paso Community College, she realized that she did not have the resources required to continue on in her studies. On the verge of putting her education on hold, Project ARRIBA partnered with Veronica in 2003...
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Jennifer Kuiper’s college career began at El Paso Community College in the 90s. She was playing softball at the time and had an athlete’s path ahead of her. Quickly her life changed when she became pregnant and had to leave softball and school behind. She joined the Army, began working but 12 years and a total of 4 children later, it appeared that college just wasn’t going to happen.
Jennife...
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Angelica Pedregon was born in Tacoma, WA but moved to El Paso, TX at a very young age due to her parent’s military career. With an interest in healthcare, Angelica completed a Medical Assistant (MA) Certificate. In spite of her work as an MA, she still lived paycheck to paycheck and received government assistance. She knew there had to be a better way to support her family.
Angelica con...
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Adriana Gomez was born in El Paso, TX to parents of Mexican descent and is the oldest of four children. In 2009 Adriana graduated from Canutillo High School and quickly enrolled in the Industrial Engineering Program at the University of Texas at El Paso. After two years in the program, she came to the difficult realization that this career was not for her and decided to pursue nursing. Howev...
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A May 2014 graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso’s (UTEP) Nursing Program, Vanessa credits Project ARRIBA as her chief supporter and the organization that made her dream a reality. Vanessa’s circumstances are much like your typical Project ARRIBA participant, with full family commitments and financial stresses such as a spouse’s unemployment and family financial hardships. These facto...
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Jesse Carbajal, is a 24-year-old young man. When he applied to Project ARRIBA in 2012, Jesse was working as a rehab tech and has just been accepted in the Physical Therapy Assistant program at El Paso Community College. Jesse knew he would have to quit his job to devote his time to school but would also not have the means to pay for his tuition. Jesse was also dealing with a trying living ar...
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Eliana became a Project ARRIBA participant in 2011 at the age of 25. She had been separated from her husband, and had custody of her two younger brothers ages 15 and 8. She worked part time doing tax returns and was earning $7.25 an hour. She relied on social security income and food stamps to meet living expenses. Eliana started off with the LEAP/WDA program at El Paso Community College an...
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