News

We have very special news to share. Two seniors, Emma and Marissa, were nominated and applied to the Posse Foundation Scholarship at the beginning of the school year. 

They went through three rounds of interviews making it to the final round. They received the best news, both were awarded The Posse Foundation Scholarship, a FULL-TUITION leadership scholarship from Posse’s partner colleges and universities. Emma will attend St. Olaf College while Marissa will attend Agnes Scott College next fall. Posse Foundation identifies, recruits and trains individuals with extraordinary leadership potential. We are so proud of these seniors - they are driven and excelled!

For the first time in a long time, we have TWO Posse Scholars and we are thrilled for them and their families. It was a competitive process amongst hundreds of other students from the nation. Congratulations to them - they worked so hard!

A few months ago, our alum, Aby, from the c/o '16, returned from her study abroad trip in Italy.

The program she was a part of focused on sustainable agriculture, food, and justice. It met all of her interests and challenged her to explore another side of environmental studies: economics and agriculture policy. She had an internship that was at a farm and winery, where she learned all about how to grow and harvest grapes and olives, and the wine and olive oil transformation process.

In addition to her classes, Aby enjoyed dinner once a week with Italian families, where she would practice her Italian and help a middle schooler with their English. She shares, "This experience along with our internship let us experience deep Tuscan culture. I learned how to cook typical regional dishes, the local slang, and their lifestyle. My favorite thing about my time abroad in Italy, was learning a new way to experience food. Italians care deeply about the quality of food, not only when they are cooking but when they are shopping for groceries. They want fresh, organic, and local food. Food is not just fuel, but a form of love and nourishment- this is something that will stay with me forever."

Welcome back to Chicago Aby - Tepeyac is so proud!

This year they have hosted a few breakfast sales; Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe and to celebrate Valentine's Day. Both were very successful sales! They did all of the planning, shopping and baking. They were SOLD OUT in no time. 

Those mornings our students and teachers enjoyed a variety of good food in the comfort of our own home - the student lounge. Parents sold the students’ favorite, tamales and more! It was wonderful to see the parents come together and plan this successful event. We are so grateful for their involvement and their support. The Parent organization is a strong group that has grown over the last year.

She was nominated and awarded a scholarship by the Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in Law. Jasmin is a driven student with an interest in pursuing a Law degree and these women attorneys want to support her education. She was invited to speak at a reception where she shared more of her goals for the future and took the time to thank the women who believe in her.

She shared. "All those experiences of injustice in my community and throughout the world opened my eyes to want to pursue a career in law. I want to become a lawyer to advise and be the voice that represents disenfranchised people. They have been overlooked for too long and I am not willing to stay still and observe how their rights are neglected."

The audience of 100+ guests loved hearing more of Jasmin's aspirations. 

We are extremely proud of Jasmin!

This year the Senior Service Project class was determined to do service in a more meaningful way. Part of the project was to respond to an assets and needs assessment of a local organization in Tepeyac’s neighborhood. They identified needs and then worked to create a project that addressed that need. Seniors Selma, Maria and Iris volunteered at Latinos Progresando. The girls noticed clients would just be on their phones in the waiting room; they wanted to improve the waiting experience. They hosted a toy and book drive at school and painted a bookshelf to donate for the waiting room. “I enjoyed volunteering at LP because the organization does a lot for my community and culture, ” Maria shared. 

Seniors Jasmin, Jasmine, Monse and Azucena volunteered at Taller de Jose, a non-profit that accompanies local residents who face challenges and do not know English. The girls helped by taping mini printed Google Maps to fliers because people didn’t know how to find the Taller office.  They decided to fundraise and purchase a large, outdoor banner. “ We wanted to contribute to Taller and help raise awareness, starting off with letting people know where they are located,” shared Jasmine. 

The group at Tepeyac Grade School, Ebany, Yuliza, Stephanie, Emma and Bianca hosted a fundraiser to provide much needed supplies to the 40+ children who stay after school.  Yuliza shared, “I enjoyed helping kids with homework and it felt good to provide supplies for them.”