Something to Smile About

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
San Diego, CA – June 15, 2006

 

Alva Monsalvo conserves her smiles.  Like most students who maintain a 4.1 GPA, she greets you with the solemnity of one accustomed to working – and thinking – hard.  Alva is so tremendously focused on the task at hand that the rare moment when she finds herself beaming seems to catch her by surprise. 

         

For instance, it takes all her energy to fight back a satisfied grin as she completes the final section of her Exit Survey for Barrio Logan College Institute. 

The grin is leaking out more and more these days.  Alva, recent recipient of the Hispanic Heritage Award: Gold Medal for Education, the Paula B. Olivier Scholarship, and the San Diego Foundation’s M.K.C. Scholarship, is closing the chapter on the most challenging portion of her life thus far –and is about to embark on another. 

In the fall, she heads off to University of California, San Diego to study biochemistry and become a doctor. 

BLCI’s college prep program did not figure into her initial plans.  “I have always done well in school,” she confesses.   But in the midst of numerous AP classes, high school Calculus came as a shock – Alva found the course so difficult that she began looking for after-school assistance.  Friends at school referred her to BLCI. 

“I came in looking for math help,” she says, losing herself in the memory.  “But all of a sudden, Jennie [Lange, BLCI's High School Coordinator] met me for an interview, and she got really excited about everything we were ‘going to do together.’  She got me excited!  So from the beginning, it was clear that this was not going to be a tutoring session, that I was going to get all the support I needed.”

The guidance came in handy.  Though her eldest brother takes classes at community college, Alva will be the first in her family to attend a four-year university. 

“And,” she adds proudly, “the first woman in my family to go to college.”   For a girl often inspired by the women in her life, this means something.  “My mother did not get to finish her own education, and she knew how important it was for us to have a degree,” Alva says (her younger sister is currently in the 9th grade program at BLCI). 

She also found inspiration at BLCI.  “I received so much help from Jennie, and volunteer Chrissy Getrich!,” she says.  “Those two amazing women are my role models, my counselors, my mentors and my friends. I look up to them.  I’ve always wanted to achieve something great – for BLCI, for my community.”

As if on cue, three young women from The Preuss School at UCSD slip into the room. 

“Those are my girls,” she cries – later, she will lead them through BLCI, explaining the program.  Alva suggested BLCI as her group’s Service Learning project – today, they will tutor students and help with clean-up in preparation for Career Night. 

“I see BLCI as a program that should grow,” Alva says, brow furrowed as she tires to explain why she remains so involved.   BLCI staff helped her with scholarship applications, and worked with her family to fill out applications.    

“It’s important to give back here,” she says, trying to explain.  “If I hadn’t come to BLCI, I wouldn’t have known that there were all these … opportunities out there.  Education has a real impact in this community.  And if the students here aren’t educated,” she adds, “then what can we expect from them?” 

 

Still, after her years of work and volunteering, summer break must hold particular appeal.  Right?

The smile that peeks out this time is one of infinite patience. “Oh, no!,” she sighs.  “Summer will be busy.  I have an internship at the Cancer Center five days a week.  And I teach choir at my church. 

"Oh, and I want to take art classes at the museum on Saturdays.  They’re free,” she adds.  “So why not?” 

CONGRATULATIONS, ALVA! 

Alva was also accepted to Cal Poly Pomona, CSU Long Beach, Universities of California Berkeley, Irvine, and Los Angeles, San Diego State University, and San Francisco State University.

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