Education/Youth

Youth Opportunities

BULLET JOURNALING 101 will be held February 12, 19, and 26 at 2 p.m. Join at https://www.facebook.com/ LubbockLibrary/ for a five week how-to series with Ms. Ana.

CREATE YOUR FREE

DIGITAL LIBRARY To assure that all students have access to reading material, myON has partnered with Latino Lubbock Magazine, and Los Hermanos Familia to offer a free online digital library this holiday season! Thousands of online digital books in English and Spanish can be accessed for FREE this holiday season at www.loshermanosfamilia.org. Follow these simple instructions: Step 1: Go to: www.myon.com/library/ browse.html Step 2: Enter School Name: Read to Grow (Preview) Step 3: Enter Username: latinolubbock Step 4: Enter Password: myon Step 5: Browse and enjoy thousands of digital books this holiday and "read to grow!" This is a free digital library that you can access online anywhere you go, or from home this holiday season. For more info go to www.loshermanosfamilia.org. NEW PARK & LEARN WI-FI Access the free Wi-Fi from any Lubbock Public Library parking lots from 7AM -10PM. Password is: LBKlibrary

FREE ONLINE MOVIES FOR

KIDS Did you know you can watch movies online through the library?!? We've got movies for all ages available through the OverDrive App (not Libby) or on the website lub - bock.overdrive.com! OPEN FITNESS Avoid the unpredictable weather of high winds and too hot temperatures. Use our fitness equipment to get fit! Treadmill, bikes and more! Ages 13+ (13-16 yrs. needs guardian) 3 p.m., M-F at the Trejo Center. Free. TEEN HELP: Catholic Charities offers FREE help for youth up to 17 years old struggling with negative behaviors, loss of self-respect, bullying, etc. Parents may call 1-800-530-4704 and make a confidential appointment.

HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS FOR TEENS, PARENTS, AND

FAMILIES FREE event will focus on what healthy relationships look like at every level within a family: between siblings, spouses, parents, and children. Meals, Childcare, Door Prizes, and more will be provided! For more informaiton, www. cclubbock.org/workshop

Maximus Chapa Places Among Top 16 Coders

Levelland Middle School (LMS) competed in a Cyber Robotics Coding Competition during Christmas break. Maximus Chapa, son of Manuel Chapa and Lisa Leal, advanced LMS to the Midwest Playoffs in CoderZ League and took out the Engineering Team at Cockrill Middle School out of McKinney, Texas that was placed top 16 in the Midwest. He impressed the announcers collecting the most points for a team in Region 1 that day. He advanced to the top eight taking out All Saints Catholic School out of Dallas, on December 22nd. However, on December 23rd the Unity Team from Sulphur Springs, advanced over Chapa. Regardless, Levelland Middle School is extremely proud of Maximus Chapa. Mrs. Rejino stated, “He is definitely a top coder in the Midwest Region and is a fierce competitor.” With virtual learning still occurring across the United States. Many schools expressed interest in a Spring coding competition. Max and the 806 LoboZ are on the hunt for gold in the Midwest and hope to have an opportunity to compete against the world in CoderZ League. Max aspires to compete in the Spring and will be recruiting a small team to gain the title. We wish him the best of luck and may the code be with him!

GIRL SCOUTS COOKIE SEASON: Jaiden Gray is from Girl Scout apart of troop 6371. Since COVID-19 she has been passing out cookies with assistance from her mom to stay safe and keep six feet apart. Jaiden isaid that hand sanitizer is the most important part to have on the table. Latino Lubbock Magazine wishes Jaiden and her troop best of luck on selling girl scout cookies around Lubbock. Photo by Reagan Ranzer/LLM) (See the video news package online at www.latinolubbock.net)

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The Final Stretch

Charles Dickens’ words, “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times, (nevertheless) it was the age of wisdom,” is in every respect putting into summary the past year of my life. I’ve been hit with a couple curveballs— I’m graduating a semester late and needing to take a gap year before medical school. However, life is teaching me the importance in removing the selfishness, envy, and pride that weigh me down and prevent me from passing through the eye of a needle that leads to paradise. My dad always says, "If it was easy, everyone would be doing it." He is right now more than ever as I reflect on my pre-medical journey full of heart and headaches. In the last three years, I’ve learned to not give emotion the power to maneuver the course of my life. Instead of succumbing to fear or idleness, I remind myself that making it to medical school is demanding but does not compare to the generous return on investment a few years from now! It’s the final stretch for me as I graduate this December and I have yet to run out of breath!

Bailee Alonzo - is a sophomore at Texas Tech, majoring in Biology Pre-Med. She aspires to become a dermatologist.

www.pccmovies.com facebook.com/LubbockPremiereCinema16Imax

806-791-7643 6002 Slide Rd.-Unit Q

DO YOU HAVE A STORY? Submit your story online at www.latinolubbock.net/have-astory or, email your youth news, quinceañera, and other info to news@latinolubbock.net .

IN FEBRUARY

· Complete the FAFSA, if possible. (You'll need your family's/guardian's tax records.) Apply online at www.studentaid.gov · Keep track of your college applications; be sure all schools have received all your materials. Create a file and keep it safely stored for reference. · Stay focused on grades. Now is not the time to slack or get lazy.

Scholarship Tips

for College-Bound Students

BY CHRISTY MARTINEZ-GARCIA FOR LATINO LUBBOCK MAGAZINE

Engage Inspire Learn Be a PIONEER!

Wayland Baptist University - Lubbock 801 N. Quaker Ave. 806.785.9285 • wbu.edu/lubbock

It's that time for high school students serious about attending college to begin the process - especially students who may not qualify for financial aid and will need scholarships to get through. Unlike student loans, scholarships are free - but take effort. I’ve witnessed some students take $50,000 to $100,000 in student loans for a four-year undergrad degree – not bueno! That’s why I advise students and their parents to commit to the process to prevent from having to take student loans that require you to pay back… with interest! Having turned to student loans myself and having to pay them for several years until 2018, I didn’t want my daughter, Amaris Garcia, to become dependent on student loans, especially when there are college scholarships to help. As such, Amaris, along with my husband Frank Garcia and I agreed that she would have to do her part to assist in funding her college education. Her role was to seek and apply for scholarships to avoid student loans and debt. Needless to say - she graduated from college debt free. She also obtained her MBA in 2019 from Wayland Baptist University that has excellent classes and great scholarship programs. For parents, although your role is significant in applying for scholarships, encourage them – don’t apply for them! Don’t write their essays - but do offer your student a listening ear when they are reading their essay. Do remind them of deadlines, and it’s okay if you help them find scholarships. I know they are busy, especially when they work and are involved in extracurricular activities, but still – don’t apply for them. You can mail the scholarship packet, although most now require emailing or have online applications, but don’t complete the entire application for them – they won’t learn like that. Plus, I know a parent that got so involved in the process that she signed her own name to the application, instead of her daughter’s! I encourage students to start applying for scholarships when they are sophomores, although your junior and senior years are most necessary. Make sure that you register at www.fastweb. com. My daughter was flooded with scholarship opportunities. Pace yourself and create a calendar with deadlines, and don’t wait till the last minute. The early bird gets the worm, or it could be a determining factor in a tie. Here are some additional tips for you to consider as you begin your scholarship journey. Scholarship Application Dos: Start the scholarship search process sooner than later. If you’re debating on when to start applying, the time is now. You can apply for scholarships you qualify for as early as you’d like and the rule of thumb is always the earlier, the better. The process can often be very slow, so be patient and continue applying to new scholarships while waiting to hear back from those you’ve already applied to. Apply for scholarships in different categories. Don’t limit yourself to one type of scholarship. Balance it out, applying for any merit, athletic, and artistic scholarships you qualify for. You can learn more about the different types of scholarships online or through your school counselor. Include letters of recommendation. A good letter of recommendation can make all the difference in your scholarship application. Make sure that the letters you include are relevant and that you are confident in the person writing the letter for you – there is nothing worse than a lousy rec letter! Also, give the person writing the letter significant time and a copy of your student resume so that they can easily reference your student activities. Scholarship Application Don’ts: Don’t count out scholarships with lower award amounts. Some students only apply for scholarships with significantly large award amounts. The problem with that methodology is that you are going to have a lot more competition than with lower scholarship amounts. Whatever you can do to decrease your competition will be in your favor, so applying for all award amounts is a good way to ensure that you have a better chance of winning. Remember, there is no limit to how many scholarships you can apply for or win, so winning several smaller awards can really add up and serve the same purpose – paying for school – as one large award. Don’t become discouraged if you don’t win right away. It’s important to keep in mind that applying for scholarships is a numbers game. The more you apply to, the better your chances of winning – so apply for as many as you qualify for. There are millions of scholarships and they are refreshed daily, so don't give up if your efforts aren't rewarded immediately. Unfortunately, it's difficult at times to win a scholarship, and not everyone is guaranteed to win one. It's vital that you never give up applying for scholarships - because then you're guaranteed to never win one. Don’t avoid scholarships that require essays. Many students avoid scholarships that require essays and, for those that are strong writers, focusing on those opportunities can be a smart decision. Yes, they do take more effort but once you have several essay applications under your belt, the process gets easier. Why discard an essay after putting in hard work, time and effort? Many essays can be re-purposed (once edited) and applied to future applications and can save you time in the end. However, don’t just resubmit the same essay – make sure to edit it for each new scholarship essay question! Here are some tips for winning scholarships: Apply early and apply often! It’s common sense that the more scholarships you actively seek to win, the better your odds are of winning. Cast a wide net – applying for as many scholarships as you’re matched to will make all the difference in winning one. Stay organized, keeping deadlines in mind! Always aim to complete your applications before the deadline so that you have plenty of extra time to fix your application should any issues occur.