Higher education goals
Precious Treasures fundraiser helps students fulfill college dreams
For William Amezaga, it hasn’t been just about the money.
Yes, the scholarships that Precious Treasures Mission is giving him are helping him pursue his dreams of a college degree.
But, he says, the Somerton-based nonprofit organization has done more than that for him. While he was a participant in its youth programs, Precious Treasures gave him encouragement and motivation to pursue his higher education goals, and, he says, it instilled in him the importance of performing community service.
“It’s just been motivating for me to become a better student, looking to do greater things,” says Amezaga, a Kofa High School graduate who is now a freshman at Arizona State University, where he is pursing a bachelor’s degree in business law.
“They just let me know how grateful they were to have me, and that they were more than happy to help me with my goals,” he says. “Everyone (at Precious Treasures) has given me a vote of confidence.”
Amezaga is one of 11 area residents who previously participated
in Precious Treasure’s youth programs and are now getting scholarships from the organization to attend colleges and universities around Arizona.
On Saturday, Precious Treasures will host a fundraising dinner and entertainment event to help pay for the scholarships of $500 and $1,000 scholarships for the students during the upcoming 2017-18 academic year.
A carne asada plate, with sides of beans and rice, will be served for $7 during the event that takes place 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the mission, 492 E. Main St.
The Precious Treasures’ youth choir, the Gadsden Elementary School District’s student jazz band and folkloric dance group, and other area musicians will also perform during the event.
Precious Treasures was founded nearly three decades ago by Jim and Debbie Ward with the goal of helping needy families and providing after-school and summer programs for children and teens.
An average of 65 students in kindergarten through 12th grade come to Precious Treasures for two hours each day Monday through Friday to take part in the after-school
program, which includes a snack for each youth, says Becky Juarez, director of the organization.
“The main focus is to help students with their homework, tutor and mentor them,” she says. “A big reason for the kids coming here is it’s a free-of-charge program. We don’t charge a penny to any child.”
Precious Treasures also offers a summer program to youths in kindergarten through high school. Also free, it offers activities such as arts and crafts, dancing, games and competitions, Juarez says, “just to keep the kids busy in the summer.”
In 1999, the organization began hosting the annual dinner to raise money for scholarships for youths in its programs who wanted to go on to college.
“It came about because we had our youth program and we would see kids come through the program and want to continue their educations and better themselves, but not have the funds to do it,” Debbie Ward says. “It started on a small scale with about six students.”
Since then, she figures, close to a 100 area students have benefited from the scholarship program, many of whom have come back to the area to work as educators and other professions.
Precious Treasures tries to renew scholarships annually rather than give out the money to recipients on a one-time basis, Ward adds. “We try to stick with them so they can graduate. We don’t just help them once and have them end up dropping out” for lack of money.
Today the Wards are retired and living in San Diego, but Debbie returns to the area to help with the scholarship event.
Youths are selected for the scholarships based on high grade-point average, financial need, plus their involvement in Precious Treasures youth programs. Recipients are asked to contribute their time as volunteers overseeing the kids in the program.
Amezaga, an only child growing up, says he came to enjoy helping the youngsters with their homework and arts and crafts, or mentoring them the way an older sibling might. “It was just a really fun experience.
Amezaga said the experience also reinforced his views about the importance of giving back to the community, no matter how old one is.
“If you’re a student in high school, you should really put your time into community service,” he says. “Nothing bad comes from it.”
The students receiving the scholarships are using the money toward studies at ASU, Arizona Western College, the University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University or Grand Canyon College.
The other recipients are Arantxa Aguilera, Mayra Coral, Guillermo Aguilera, Enrique Gutierrez, Sandy Ramirez and Josue Ramirez, all of who are attending or will be attending AWC; Karen Cabrera, attending ASU; Mashal Jones and Dora Heredia, for Grand Canyon College; Juan Malta, for the UofA, and Ruby de La Cruz, for NAU.
In the event proceeds from Saturday’s event don’t cover all the scholarships, the organization will use money from its youth fund to make up the balance, Juarez says.