May 2024

What’s Happening at Liga MAC:

Our previous update referenced the fact that many high school students who may be hardworking, bright and willing do not receive the level of education they desire due to the limitations of the education system (overcrowded schools, limited curriculum, limited resources, overworked teachers) and their own economic constraints. It is Liga MAC’s mission to bridge the gap between students and their educational goals. Every year Liga MAC provides educational support for about 300 students based on need and ability. The process to select students for the program is open to all and will evolve over the next two months.

As the school year moves towards a close and our graduates prepare for life beyond high school, Liga MAC staff will be organizing counselling and information sessions to help graduates navigate post secondary options including scholarship opportunities. Those students moving from middle school to high school will be able to attend, together with their parents, an informational symposium with representatives from the 5 San Jose high schools to review entrance requirements.

One Liga MAC program, Agents of Change, will continue into the summer while the remaining programs are wrapping up for the year. Our new ESL pilot program has been very successful and will be evaluated for continuation next school year.

The seasonal shift of snowbirds back to their summer pursuits means that the events and venues manned by Liga MAC’s hardworking volunteers will be on summer hiatus. But plans are already in place for next season’s fundraisers and activities.

System Profile: Educational Support Program Application Process

The process to select worthy students for Liga MAC’s student support program begins in mid April with submission of candidate applications. Information about where and how to apply is circulated through the school system, broadcasted via digital news and radio and advertised in printed form at shopping centres, bus-stops and other public venues. Application forms are available online and must be submitted in person together with supporting documents. The process which may sound daunting is made more palatable by video instructions, application printouts available at the Liga MAC Learning Centre as well as multi-media advertising campaigns informing candidates of the process.

Applications are open to all students entering Grade 7 to Grade 12. However, the greatest number of openings are in the lower grades allowing students to receive the full benefit of Liga MAC support as they progress to graduation. This year Liga MAC is looking to accept new 48 Grade 7 students and 30 more to fill spaces between 8 to 12 grade. Applications for high school are accepted but on a waitlist basis.

The selection process which begins in mid June includes an entrance exam and interview before a final selection is made in mid July. Once selected the candidate and his or her family or guardians will attend interactive seminars and be required to sign a contract with Liga MAC. Students who apply and are accepted into Liga MAC’s educational support program in Grade 7 are entitled to continue on to graduation from high school provided they show economic need and commit to:

• maintaining an 8.5/10.0 GPA or greater
• 90% attendance for Liga MAC programs
• regularly attending school classes

Parents or guardians must also commit to volunteering with Liga MAC and to being actively involved in their child’s education. Once a student and his or her family are accepted, Liga MAC commits to supplying uniforms, school supplies, tuition fees, counselling, support programs, and when necessary medical and basic needs support. The program package is a complete one and students vie not only for the opportunity to be accepted into the educational support program but also to stay in the program. Each year a number of new students are accepted as program participants graduate from Grade 12, students are dropped due to not fulfilling their commitments to Liga MAC and/or when students move away from the area.

To understand the application and selection process we will follow two student candidates and their families over the coming months:

Submission # 1 – Single mother, Ana, sought help from Liga MAC after arriving recently from Mexico City. Ana has twins who will be entering Grade 10 in August. Unfortunately, she does not yet have employment but retrained in the information technology sector. Ana has been diagnosed with the auto-immune disease Lupus and will not have IMSS health insurance coverage until she finds employment. The family does receive assistance from the father of one of the 3 older children. One of the obstacles facing the twins is the fact that they are applying for a position in Grade 10 where most of the educational support program positions are already taken. However, Liga MAC turns away no one in true need. Once their application form is completed and submitted they will receive a ticket for their orientation meeting and must also pass the qualifying exam and interview.

Submission #2 – Camila Guadalupe, a Grade 8 student, is one of 3 children being raised by their widowed mother Karina. The mother is a self employed cook who makes empanadas from her home in La Ballena Colonia near the San Jose airport. Camila will enter Technica 14 school in August. She has now completed and submitted her application and received a ticket for her orientation meeting on Saturday, June 22.

Student Support Programs

Self-Esteem and Social Skills Workshop – Liga MAC staff member, Consuelo Espinosa, facilitates the confidence building workshop for Grade 7 students. Originally slated to finish at the end of April, Consuelo has decided to extend the program for 3 more sessions spaced 2 weeks apart. Assisted by volunteer Amparo Zuluaga, the workshop will include board games designed to build social skills.

Agents of Change – The program is conducted in conjunction with the Boys and Girls Club and jointly facilitated. The 43 Grade 9 Liga MAC students involved in the program must research and prepare a community project to be delivered in mid July. The students will be working with their Spanish tutors (Spanish and Math Tutor program) to prepare and execute the presentation.

Spanish and Mathematics Tutoring – Facilitated by the professional teachers from Centro Pedagogico del Valle, 120 Grade 7, 8 and 9 grade students grouped according to their abilities participate in Math and Spanish extracurricular studies. Spanish classes include the reading out loud of contemporary novels while also concentrating on writing and spelling skills. The program will terminate at the end of the school year.

[Watch Video: Spanish and Mathematics Tutoring]

English As a Second Language, Pilot Program – Volunteer teacher, Juan Carlos Cotamo, has been pleased with the results of his test program. The pilot program seeks to raise the level of English language comprehension and execution amongst its participants by continuing classes throughout the school year. Although the comprehension level has been very low, Juan Carlos has made good progress and is thankful for the help he has received from native speaking volunteers.

[Watch Video: English As a Second Language]

“Alas” Critical Thinking – Facilitated by volunteer Yessica Guillen, this workshop encourages the 13 Liga MAC participants to set aside their cell phones and concentrate on thinking, analyzing, questioning and self analysis. Participants meet once per week until the termination of the school year.

Alas & Águilas – The co-ed self-awareness and sexuality programs will be facilitated by therapist, Heddy Villasenor. The 5 Saturday morning sessions will begin May 11 and end on the final Saturday morning with a conference for parents and students.

Volunteer Activities and Events

San Jose Organic Market, Palmilla Organic Market & Liga MAC Donation Centre – With the bulk of our volunteers returning to their summer homes, there will not be a Liga MAC presence at the organic markets for the remainder of this season but participation will resume in November. The Liga MAC Donation Centre closed for the season with a big “clearance day” on Saturday, May 4; however donations are always accepted and can be made by contacting: Sonia Trujillo at Mobile/WhatsApp +1(624)224-2676.

World Wide Technologies PGA Golf Tournament – After the success of the first PGA tournament held in Los Cabos, November 2 – 5, 2023, sponsor World Wide Technologies has pledged to renew the tournament in 2024. Liga MAC had one of the largest contingent of volunteers at the tournament and has committed to supplying volunteers again in 2024. If you are interested in volunteering for Liga MAC at the WWT PGA tournament in November 7-10, 2024, please contact Maria Lindenberg at sjdmena@gmail.com.

Tacos, Tostadas & Tequila – Another wildly successful event held this January, the TTT fundraising event benefitting Liga MAC will be reprised early in 2025. Host, chef, restauranteur Tadd Chapman is planning an even bigger event for next year at his event centre, Baja Luna. Look for more information later this year.

Parting Comments

Perhaps the most important and labour intensive part of Liga MAC’s year occurs when its volunteers, donors and board members are not present. The tasks of recruitment and processing of Liga MAC’s education support program students, it’s “raison d’etre”, falls to Liga MAC’s 4 staff members. The 4 month long procedure which includes receiving applications, processing applications, interviewing, testing, conducting orientations, and dispersing uniform vouchers, school supplies and tuition fees will be conducted for the first time in one location – the Liga MAC Learning Centre! A busy time to be sure but a purposeful and exciting time as graduates who have been with Liga MAC for up to 6 years move to the next stage of their lives and shy, hopeful 13 year olds are welcomed into the Liga MAC family.

With anticipation and optimism,

Maria Lindenberg, President
Liga MAC Board of Directors