Bank of America Charitable Foundation
$250,000.00
El Paso Electric Co.
$20,000.00
Texas Workforce Commission, Wagner Peyser
$350,000.00
University Presbyterian Church
$3,000.00
Project ARRIBA came to fruition in 1998 to increase the educational attainment levels for an underemployed population living along the Borderplex region. Twenty-two years later, our results have positively affected the quality of life and economic…
Deborah Diaz was born and raised in El Paso, TX. After graduating from high school in 2008 she enrolled at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) that same year. However, Deborah was not able to continue at UTEP due to a mental health condition and severe depression.
In spite of this, Deborah knew that education was key to financial independence. In 2009, Deborah enrolled at a fo...
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After being raised in El Paso, Texas, Gricelda left her hometown to pursue her studies in Denver, Colorado. There she married a man who did not support her decision to get an education. After many year, she found the courage to return to school and obtained her associate’s degree as a Medical Assistant. However, she wanted more in life.
Soon after her graduation and a divorce that left her a...
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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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Ysela Hayden, a 29-year-old single mother of two, came to Project ARRIBA in 2012. At the time, she was separated from her husband and had been on her own for a few years. She wanted a better life for her kids and enrolled and was accepted into the Physical Therapy Assistant program at El Paso Community College. However, Ysela was unemployed and her only income came from child support, food st...
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Elizabeth was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. She worked as a substitute teacher and, even though she loved the work, the pay was not enough to sustain her small family. Elizabeth had studied psychology, but later changed her major to nursing after having been impressed by a nurse practitioner who cared for her son at his doctor’s office. She applied to local nursing programs but was eith...
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My name is Bertha Lorena Contreras and I am a Project ARRIBA graduate. I was born in Cd. Juarez and was raised in San Buenaventura, Chihuahua, Mexico. While in Mexico, I completed two semesters of college, married, and had three sons. I decided to come to the states when my marriage ended.
Leaving my hometown was scary for me and my children but I wanted to give my boys a better life. On...
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Anniela Solano, a 25-year-old single mother, became a Project ARRIBA participant in 2012. At the time, she was a full-time student, unemployed, and had no prior work experience. Anniela wanted to work helping people in a field that offered her job security but knew in order to achieve this, she would need to complete her education. With Project ARRIBA’s assistance, Anniela completed her Regis...
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Belinda Atienzo was born and raised in El Paso’s Segundo Barrio. She graduated top ten percent of her class at Bowie High School, and began college at NMSU, pursuing a degree in nursing. However, due to financial struggles, she was forced to come back home with her parents. With determination to continue her journey, Belinda immediately transferred to EPCC. Working as a tutor/note-taker at the ...
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Javier Perez. is 32 years old, married, and has two beautiful daughters. He came to Project ARRIBA in 2012, and at the time was working two jobs as a medical assistant. Javier wanted to continue his education, but as the sole provider for his family, he did not have the necessary resources to make this a reality. With Project ARRIBA’s financial, educational and social support, Javier complet...
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Rachel Montiel-Gravlee was born and raised in central El Paso and is a second generation Austin High School graduate. After finishing high school, Rachel enlisted in the Army, finished her time in the service, and enrolled at Kaplan College to train to become a medical assistant. However, wages as a medical assistant were too low and she soon went back to bartending full-time and attending sc...
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