13 Valley Middle School Latina Students Graduate From Hermanitas

Each week, 13 Latina girls met with a volunteer mentor teacher durning lunch. Every three weeks, the girls attended an after school seminar. The program called Hermanitas helps them become strong Latina women and prepares them for challenges they may face in high school or college. 

During the graduation ceremony Thursday evening, Corie De Anda, Hermanitas Coordinator for told the girls, “This is a really good time to be growing up Latina. You see Latina women as news anchors, singers, performers, and doctors." 

De Anda is a volunteer with MANA, a national Latina organization that works to create a better quality of life for all hispanics through leadership development, community service, and advocacy.

At the graduation, the girls also got advice from Rosalva Resendiz, a former Valley student, current senior at , and future student at CalState San Marcos. She told the girls, “make sure you apply for scholarships because college isn’t free,” and, “have a set routine for homework in high school.”

The 13 graduates are:

• Alyssa Acuña
• Sophia Alvarado- Estrada
• Yesenia Betancourt
• Irene Antonio
• Alma Bazan
• Estefanie Sanchez
• Yessica Lorenzo
• Erika Gomez
• Abi Lopez
• Alondra Ortega
• Marian Mata
• Damaris Verdias
• Aylin Callejas-Tolentino

Their mentor teachers are:

• Linda Payne
• Gina Lopez
• Rose-Mary Tejada
• Monica Rodriguez
• Aida Salah

Community volunteers who donated time and expertise to present after school seminars to the girls on topics including nutrition, skin care, healthy relationships, drug prevention and making the most of opportunies:

• Corie De Anda
• Aditaim Lopez
• Gloria Diaz
• Melony Schroh
• Yuri Reyes
• Leticia Robles
• Alejandra Estrada
• Dr. Luz del Carmen Feliz
• Ofelia Escobedo

Also involved in the graduation ceremony were:

• Cesar Morales - Principal of Valley M.S.
• Gabriela Hooshmand - President, MANA de North County
• Melody Schroh - Valley M.S. Counselor