 The
Childrens Scholarship Fund For Girls
Girls
from Hispanic backgrounds, particularly recent immigrants from
Central America, have one of the highest school drop-out rates
of any minority group in the US. Education is the only way to
empower these girls to develop self-sufficient lives.
The Children Scholarship Fund for Girls was established in
1991; it is an independent fund for which Medicine For Peace
is the fiscal
agent. The original intent of the Fund was to support the education
of young girls on Long Island, NY who were refugees from El Salvador
during the Salvadoran Civil War.
Over the past
few years, the scope of the fund has broadened to include immigrant
girls from a variety of Hispanic backgrounds living in different
parts of the United States. Many of the children we support live
in refugee homes in impoverished neighborhoods. Their neighborhood
schools are inadequate and plagued with violence.
Since it's inception, the Fund has raised more than $200,000
from private donors for tuition support for girls to attend private
primary and secondary schools while living at home. Each school
has agreed to lower tuition rates in support of our program. Schools
are carefully selected to provide a superior education as well as
a nurturing environment in which these young women can thrive. Older
girls in the program commit to tutoring youngsters supported by
the Fund.
All of the girls supported by the Fund who have completed their
secondary school education have gone on to college. We have alumnae
attending Hunter, Vassar, St. John's University, NY, St. Joseph's
College, NY, Boston University, Union College, and Trinity College.
All have received scholarships from their respective Universities.
If you would like more information about the Children's
Scholarship Fund please call the fund director, Kathleen
Crane at the MFP office (202 441 4545).
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Happy
recipients of scholarships from the Children's Scholarship Fund
for Girls.