A four year veteran of Liga MAC’s student support program, Raul (a pseudonym), was on track to receive a scholarship to a local university before COVID turned his in person learning to an online experience. In many ways, Raul’s backstory is typical of the marginalized students Liga MAC seeks to help: child of a poorly educated single parent; family relocated from mainland Mexico for economic reasons; parents are or were victims of abuse or substance abuse or both; support parent employed in minimum wage job.
When Raul’s mother lost her house cleaning job at the beginning of the pandemic, the family became reliant on community food programs and Liga MAC’s food voucher system. In December Raul, a grade 12 student, was one of the first to qualify for a laptop through Liga MAC’s generous donor supported laptop loan program. Also in December to help family finances, Raul managed to find employment but unfortunately he also managed to make some poor choices in terms of associations.
In January of this year, Karen Castro, Liga MAC’s Educational Support Co-ordinator, began rounding up student transcripts in preparation for the payment of second semester tuition fees. After repeated requests to Raul for transcripts and with nothing forthcoming, Karen contacted Raul’s school. The problem finally became apparent: Raul was failing almost every subject. To be accepted into Liga MAC’s student support program, students must maintain an 8.5 GPA (out of 10). Raul’s average was 6.0.
Karen immediately contacted Raul’s mother and learned that his mother suspected Raul, through his poor associations, had taken up drug use. Mother and son were called into Liga MAC’s Centro de Apoyo where Raul was given an ultimatum: submit to drug testing and therapy or forfeit your educational support. Fortunately, Raul’s drug use was limited to marijuana and through the Centro de Integracion Juvenil he is now receiving therapy.
Raul’s attitude has improved and his grades have made a sharp improvement. In recent mid-term tests Raul has registered 10 on every subject! An aptitude test taken through the Instituto de la Juventud del Municipio de Los Cabos, revealed Raul’s skillset. Back on track, Raul is scheduled for an admission exam for the local ITES University where he plans to study Business Management.
Why would a student who for four years maintained a 8.5 GPA or greater, suddenly get involved in drugs and risk his educational support and his future? That question may go unanswered, but the timing is more than a mere co-incidence. The students Liga MAC supports are already in a precarious economic situation. It takes very little to tip the scale to a point of hopelessness. When the whole world seems to be unsettled that can filter down to a personal level of loss. Without Liga MAC’s intervention and a structured recovery, Raul’s outcome might have been much worse.
It has been one entire year since we created our monthly update to keep you, our Liga MAC’s supporters, informed not only of our students’ progress during the crisis but also of the general situation in the community. One year on, it is a mixed review. The community is rebounding. As the vaccine is being rolled out, restrictions are being lifted and the community is responding favourably.
Unfortunately, our students and indeed all students who have not been able to attend in person classes, have suffered emotionally, psychologically, scholastically, and even physically. In our monthly student profile, we will highlight the struggle of one such student.
Our “Doctor’s Corner” will bring you an update on the vaccine rollout and provide a general community weather vane. And, finally we will highlight some positive ways Liga MAC is assisting our students to overcome “pandemic anxiety”.
The lack of an annual gala fundraiser, Knick Nac Golf tournament, and many other fundraising opportunities has not affected our donors’ abilities to see the need and raise the cash! But with a large group gathering to officially acknowledge Liga MAC’s much loved donors and supporters not possible this year, Liga MAC is taking its thanks to the internet.
Please watch your emails for an invitation to Liga MAC’s virtual donor appreciation on April 1, 2021.
For those who would normally join the fun and fundraising at the Knick Nac Golf Tournament we have Querencia’s very own Head Pro Seth Westfall donning Knickers to guide golfers to better golf with an online golf lesson (worth seeing Seth in Knickers alone!)
In addition there will be 5 draws for items including catered in home dinners for 6, a Sport Performance training evaluation, and more….
During the regular pre-COVID season, Liga MAC volunteers operate a Donation Centre located on Marinos Blvd. in Colonia Chamizal in San Jose del Cabo. The centre receives donations of books, gently used clothing, and household goods. Any donated larger furnishings are sent to Tienda 17 and any better clothing items are sent to Back to the Rack. When items are sold both businesses forward the proceeds to Liga MAC.
While regular business hours have been suspended, Liga MAC is taking donations by appointment. If you have something you would like to donate, please contact volunteer Sonia Trujillo at cabosonia@hotmail.com or call 624 224-2676.
As mentioned in our January update, we will be focusing on a student a month until the school year ends. This month we focus our attention on Jonathan (not his real name) who was a Liga MAC supported Grade 10 student in early 2020 when the pandemic struck. His academic credentials were impeccable but after in-school classes were canceled, Jonathan slipped from Liga MAC’s radar.
Finally after repeated attempts at contact, Liga MAC received Jonathan’s transcripts. His marks had plummeted. Elva, Liga MAC’s Executive Director, and her team reached out to Jonathan. Why had Jonathan’s grades slipped to the point where he would not be eligible for Liga MAC support? The answer lay in the internet.
But first a little background information. Jonathan, his mother, and sister live in a rough neighborhood near the airport. His mother, a responsible and committed sole breadwinner, had until the pandemic been cleaning houses and selling cooked meals to support the family. Jonathan also cooks and cleans for the family when his mother is working.
When classes moved online, Jonathan had no computer and no internet access. He relied on the use of a friend’s laptop and internet access, and the friend’s help to remit the homework. Needless to say, the homework was seldom remitted. With the threat of suspension from the Liga MAC program looming, Elva’s team decided to give Jonathan a second chance. They lined him up with cell phone data so that he could remit his own homework.
By the end of the term, Jonathan’s marks had greatly improved. Jonathan started Grade 11 in September, 2020 and was amongst the 72 Liga MAC students to receive a loaned laptop and dedicated internet access.
A relieved and grateful Jonathan taped a video for his laptop benefactors that began with, “Thank you for believing in me!” His plans for the future include university in either Business Management or Tourism and to stay in Los Cabos to help his mother and sister. In Jonathan’s case a laptop and internet access, both supplied by Liga MAC thanks to the support of our generous donors, were enough to point him back in the right direction. We are learning much about the effects on our students of online learning. School is more than books and learning or even laptops and internet access.
There are social aspects that feed into the emotional wellbeing of our students as well as domestic, financial, and motivational aspects that can impede learning. In the coming months we will highlight more students who are facing challenges and how Liga MAC proposes to help students conquer those obstacles to learning.
Los Cabos continues to be second only to La Paz for the number of active COVID cases and is currently at level 4 on the national rating system out of 6 (with 6 being the highest level). At Level 4, hotels and recreational activities are operating at 40% capacity and 3.5 square metres social distancing per person.
The second round of vaccinations has begun for medical personnel and the first round for those 60 years and older. Citizens and those with permanent residency (must have a CURP #) who are eligible can sign up for the vaccine HERE
Schools will continue to be online and the Secretary of Education continues to hold its position that schools will not reopen until level 1 has been achieved. PCR and Rapid antigen tests are available at the airport daily and are also offered at multiple hospitals, clinics, and private laboratories in the area. Stay safe everyone!
Again, thank you Dr. Poli for your important information update. The announcement of vaccine availability offers a glimmer of hope to a beleaguered world. Hopefully, we will be able to have in-person group events soon but in the meantime, watch for your invitation to join us on April 1 for our virtual Donor Appreciation/Knick Nac Tournament event.
Queen Elizabeth II once famously described the year 1992 as an “annus horribilis”. That designation may find a new home in 2020! Globally, it has been one of the most medically challenging, economically devastating, and deadly twelve months in modern history. With a vaccine on the horizon and a medical conclusion in sight, there will be many takeaways from the experiences of the past year. In the case of Liga MAC, and in light of the many hardships faced by the students Liga MAC supports, some of the most impressive discoveries have been the resilience of our students and the dedication of our donors and volunteers.
When school began in San Jose del Cabo in August and September and classes shifted out of the classroom and onto computer screens and television sets, the learning environment was in chaos. Teachers were forced to acquire a new skillset and students needed to find the self discipline to juggle school work with home life. But gradually as the first semester came to a close, students were adapting to the new normal of online classes.
Liga MAC too, has had to adapt its programs to an online format. English as a Second Language (ESL) was hugely successful before the pandemic and is an example of how well our students have adjusted to online learning. Liga MAC volunteers recently completed a pilot ESL program for eighteen Grade 12 students. Not only did the students join the online classes on time, dressed in their school uniforms (even though they were joining from home), and with their homework completed, but they were also able to assist their instructors in the nuances of Zoom! The pilot program called, Escuchando y Hablando Inglés, afforded students individual screen time and was well received by facilitators and students alike. As a result, a full ESL program for our Grade 12 students is being planned for January 2021.
Another Liga MAC program organized in conjunction with the Boys and Girls Club, is providing students with a social outlet during the pandemic. Parents have commented that the Community Involvement Program has opened up a much needed social network that allows their kids to talk with peers about things that interest them. And Liga MAC’s other volunteer supported programs like Alas and Águilas are being modified to accommodate technology so that they can continue to deliver the kind of support our students so desperately need.
But none of this – online classes, Liga MAC programs, social networking – would be possible without the incredible response from Liga MAC donors to our laptop campaign.
At the start of the school year, Elva Haro, Liga MAC’s Executive Director, and her staff identified 72 Liga MAC high school students who were without a means of accessing the internet. The call went out to supply as many of those 72 students with refurbished laptops as possible. As of the 3rd week of December, all 72 students will have a laptop in their possession!
Elva, overwhelmed by the response, called donors’ generosity, “unbelievable”! She went on to say that when parents and students come to the Liga MAC Centre to pick up their laptops and record a thank you to individual donors, parents are often holding back tears of gratitude. She calls the life changing gifts, the students’ “window to the world”. The campaign has been so overwhelmingly successful that, in addition to the 72 high school students, Elva is now able to order laptops for an additional 25 Grade 9 students.
But the challenges continue for students and citizens of San Jose del Cabo. Federally, Mexicans have been asked to forego all celebrations surrounding Christmas: Dia de la Virgin de Guadalupe, Christmas posadas and family gatherings, and Dia de Reyes. If COVID numbers continue to climb, the state and country will be forced back into the “Orange” level which will mean a suspension of all non-essential activities. The federal government has declared that school will continue remotely until the “green” or all clear level is achieved. It is not inconceivable that the entire school year will be conducted online.
So as 2020 draws to a close, our takeaway from this year is that no matter what degree of horrible passes our way, together – students, volunteers, staff, and donors – will find a way to meet the challenge.
On behalf of Elva, Consuelo, and Karen at the Liga MAC Centro de Apoyo and the entire Liga MAC Board of Directors, may we wish you Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo!
Our students still need our support … So we continue to reach out to our donors and our fundraising efforts are going virtual!
Deneb Poli, a LigaMAC board member and practicing doctor in San Jose del Cabo, is chairing our newly created fundraising committee and they are ready to launch our first virtual fundraiser
A Week without Challenge
In order to be successful, we need this online campaign to go viral and that can only happen if each of our volunteers and supporters can help with sharing the fundraising link anywhere and everyone online.
Can we please count on your support to share this link within your online social network (email, facebook, twitter … )
Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! Despite the fact that we are in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, there are many things for which to be thankful. As the President of a Mexican educational charity, I am thankful for our hardworking staff, our wonderful benevolent donors, and our selfless volunteers without all of whom the students Liga MAC supports would find the challenges they face overwhelming.
In our last update, we made a plea for help to acquire laptops and internet access for Liga MAC’s high school students. As we reported, high school classes for the current year are being conducted online making access to computers essential. After our staff surveyed Liga MAC’s 136 high school students, it was determined that 79 students lacked access to a computer and 39 lacked internet access.
Our call to arms garnered a tremendous response thus far, enabling us to provide 52 students with laptops (refurbished by authorized dealers to a like-new condition including Microsoft software). Although the laptops remain the property of Liga MAC, students sign a contract allowing them exclusive use for educational purposes. When the student graduates from high school and proceeds to university the laptop becomes their property but if they do not graduate, the laptop reverts to Liga MAC for the next student’s use.
Liga MAC’s functional year revolves around the local school year. It also coincides with the arrival and departure to Los Cabos of our many expat volunteers. Now that our students are again engaged in their studies, both remotely and virtually, Liga MAC must rethink how it delivers its support programs and how it engages our volunteers.
One of the ways Liga MAC has been able to deliver such great value to donors and students alike, is through our extensive network of volunteers. However, due to COVID, both the return to traditional volunteer roles and the delivery of programs are in the process of being reworked.
On the bright side, working from home via the internet means that facilitators, volunteers, staff, and students can connect wherever in the world they might be located. Redesigning programs to fit the new reality presents some challenges including a heavy dependency on technology. Let’s have a look at some of the redesigned programs:
English As a Second Language (ESL) – Our ESL lead facilitators (English speaking expat volunteers) are reviewing options on how to safely and effectively deliver a modified ESL program for our Grade 11 and 12 students. The use of Zoom, WhatsApp or an alternate will be essential for virtual connections. These volunteer leaders acknowledge there will be challenges, however they also appreciate that students will benefit both psychologically and scholastically. We hope to have all our senior high school students outfitted with laptops and internet connectivity in order to facilitate this vital program.
Self Esteem & Social Skills – Consuelo has identified 24 Grade 7 students for the program who will be divided into smaller groups. Consuelo will prepare video lessons which she will share by What’s App. The purpose of the classes is to welcome new students to Liga MAC and help them to attain the confidence and self-respect to participate in both the classroom and their lives outside of school.
Math & Spanish tutoring – a small cohort of local professional teachers have committed to designing tailor made and remotely administered classes using a new platform for grade 7 and 8 students.
Leadership Program – Liga MAC will partner with the Boys & Girls Club of Los Cabos on Saturday mornings to present Zoom meetings for our Grade 9 students. The program engages students in problem solving activities which promote public speaking, co-operative interactions, manageable solutions, and advocacy.
Health & Nutrition – Liga MAC Board member, Dr. Mauricio Mercado, will work with local health professionals to develop a remote program advocating proper nutrition, exercise, and healthy lifestyles which will engage our students as well as their families. The program will be offered to our Grade 10 students from January through April 2021.
Alas – Professional Sexuality Therapist, Hedy Villaseñor, is developing a fall program that may involve home visits employing PPE and social distancing. The course is designed for Grade 10 girls and focuses on sexuality awareness, all forms of abuse, continuing education, employment opportunities, and personal awareness.
Águilas – Local professional therapist Tomás, will prepare an Alas equivalent for Grade 10 boys which will be presented in the late spring of 2021. Details TBA.
Vocational & Personal Counselling – Elva, Consuelo, and Karen provide year round counselling to our students which may include family counselling, emotional and personal therapy, as well as vocational guidance. With staff help many of our graduates have received scholarships for continuing education.
The work continues to assist our willing and hopeful students towards a brighter future. Their gratitude is manifested everyday by their ability to pursue their studies. My gratitude is the realization that without you, our donors and volunteers, these kids would have little for which to be thankful.
If you would like to help us continue to support our students through monetary donations please click on the link to.
And one final note about thank yous. We very much want to acknowledge our donors with a personal response. If you have made a donation through Baja Community Foundation or Monarca Canada Foundation and have not received a personal acknowledgement from Elva, please let her know at: elva@ligamac.org
Con mucho cariño,
Maria Lindenberg, President
Board of Directors, Liga MAC, A.C.
Click on the video (1:13 min) to see the happy faces of the first 20 computer recipients
As September approaches, a hot topic in most jurisdictions has been the re-introduction of students to some kind of modified education model.
In June, the Baja California Sur ministry of education announced a staggered return to the classroom starting in August, 2020. That plan has been revised. Students will not return to the classroom until the state has received its “green zone” designation. Instead classes ranging from kindergarten to grade 9 will be broadcast via national public television 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, starting August 24.
In September, high school content will be handled locally when students resume classes remotely. A snowball effect has further complicated an already stressed education system. With so many businesses still closed resulting in a chaotic economy, families who formerly could afford to send their children to private school can no longer. The affect has been the closure of some private schools and more students being added to the public school system.
Precipitating the school start restructuring, is a dramatic rise in the number of COVID cases. Although the state has increased COVID testing and the ratio of deaths to positive tests is relatively low, in-hospital COVID care has increased to 60% of capacity.
On a more personal level, whereas none of Liga MAC’s families had previously been directly affected by the virus, regrettably at least 3 parents of Liga MAC students have tested positive with one parent requiring hospitalization. Private family parties are to blame for some of the new outbreaks.
And as COVID cases multiply, employment stagnates. The local construction workforce has seen projects restarted only to terminate under onerous and expensive COVID protocols. With the lack of tourists and a local economy in tatters, many restaurants are closing leaving restaurant workers struggling to provide for their families.
For Liga MAC students receiving educational support, news that school would become virtual was not good news. In a recent telephone survey of Liga MAC families, our staff discovered that only 44% of students have access to home computers and about half have access to dedicated internet.
High school students will be required to submit their assignments via the internet. Having the means to access lessons, complete assignments and submit them via the internet will now be critical for our students.
As a result of this situation, we are announcing a new campaign:
The Liga MAC Laptop Drive
Donate your old laptop – Are you about to replace your laptop? Please consider donating the old one to Liga MAC for our students. Or,
Donate cash for the purchase of a new laptop – for $250 USD (approximately), Liga MAC can purchase a new laptop for our students. Or,
Pay for a family’s internet service for one month – for approximately $18 USD or 400 pesos provide internet service for one month.
