Anonymous Donor
$400,000.00
Martha Rochford
$1,000.00
University Presbyterian Church
$4,000.00
Walton Family Foundation
$50,000.00
By David Crowder / El Paso Inc. staff writer: Project ARRIBA has been quietly working with El Paso leaders to help hundreds of mostly Hispanic students from poor families through nursing school and drastically changing their lives since 1998. …
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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Prior to enrolling in Project ARRIBA, Margie worked at a local medical practice where her boss, Dr. Ugarte, boldly inquired if Margie had ever considered becoming a nurse. The idea of going back to school was daunting and seemed hopeless, especially because Margie was a single mother of two and needed to work to support her family. Nevertheless, she trusted Dr. Ugarte and the idea that he belie...
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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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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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Elizabeth Terrazas is 24 years of age and a single mother to a 2-year-old son. She always knew she wanted to work in the medical field as a nurse and enrolled in the Licensed Vocational Nurse program at El Paso Community College. Unemployed and with no financial aid available, she became a Project ARRIBA participant December of 2012. With Project ARRIBA’s support and much hard work and dedi...
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Maria Martinez, a married mother of three came to Project ARRIBA in 2012. At the time, she was unemployed but a full-time student. She received financial aid but eventually exceeded her credit hours and became ineligible. Her husband, the sole provider, could not afford her tuition. With Project ARRIBA’s support, along with Maria’s dedication and strong will, she completed her training and ...
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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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Jessica, the youngest of three children, had a simple upbringing. Her father worked in construction and her mother was a homemaker. She graduated from high school, married and had two children, one of whom was diagnosed with special needs. With no post-secondary education, Jessica worked as bus driver to earn additional income for her family. And after ten years, the marriage ended and Jessica...
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Virginia Chavira, a 40-year-old single mother of 3 came to Project ARRIBA with hopes of becoming a participant. Virginia was attending the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) Registered Nurse program and was unable to finance her needed summer semester as financial aid was not offered during the summer. Virginia had no family support. She relied on student loans, food stamps, social securi...
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Born and raised in Mexico, Rogelio Calvo is the oldest of three brothers and one sister. Prior to becoming a U.S. resident in the early 1990’s, Rogelio worked in the medical field in Mexico. However, due to the language barrier encountered upon his move to the United States and the inability to transfer his foreign credentials, he realized it was necessary for him to enroll in English as a Sec...
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