Hollister
– The annual Cinco de Mayo celebration and fundraiser held
tonight will give locals a chance to get their fill of guacamole,
margaritas and mariachi music – all for the sake of education.
Hollister – The annual Cinco de Mayo celebration and fundraiser held tonight will give locals a chance to get their fill of guacamole, margaritas and mariachi music – all for the sake of education.
The Mexican-American Committee on Education for San Benito County is holding its 37th Annual Cinco de Mayo Scholarship Banquet tonight at the Veteran’s Memorial Building. All money raised at the event goes to providing academic scholarships for youth in San Benito County.
Since its inception, the group has raised $326,000 for scholarships, which have been received by over 40 students.
MACE’s vice president, 21-year-old Rolan Resendiz, said he is excited to be passing on the importance of education to the youth of the county.
“I want to see a change in our youth. I think it’s important to stress that these students need to get careers, and they need to come back to their communities and contribute,” Resendiz said.
One of the highlights of the event – which includes food, music and dancing – is a section which honors the organization’s man and woman of the Year.
This year, Hollister residents Manuel Chavez and Beatrice Gonzales-Ramirez were chosen as the 2007 man and woman of the year.
Resendiz said the two were selected because of their work in education and the community.
Both recipients said they were shocked and honored to be chosen.
Chavez, 58, was acknowledged for his contribution to the community through various youth organizations. Chavez volunteered for many years coaching baseball, football and soccer in San Juan Bautista and Hollister. Currently, he drives a school bus for San Benito High School.
Chavez said that he was especially honored to be chosen by the organization which emphasizes education and youth. Having grown up in the community, he said, he loves watching the children grow up and make something of their lives.
“If I was able to do it all over again, I would have taught. It’s the most underpaid job in the world but it’s probably the most rewarding,” Chavez said. He added that he enjoys that he is able to be around students through his job as a bus driver.
“What better cargo is there to have than what I have – kids? Nobody has cargo that’s more precious than me,” he said.
Chavez’s daughter, Marlene Villegas, said that she was very proud of her father for receiving the award. Her and several of her siblings had previously been recipients of the MACE scholarship.
Gonzales-Ramirez, 44, has also made contributions to the education field through her work as a trustee with the Hollister School District Board of Trustees.
She said the honor was incredibly touching for her, given that her own academic journey had been atypical. She dropped out of high school in 10th grade to join the workforce, but ended up going back to school and received several degrees, including her law degree.
“I’m a consummate student,” Gonzales-Ramirez said. “I still am seeking education because I don’t think anybody is ever finished.”
She said she is hoping to affect the education system in Hollister through her role on the school board.
“I’m hoping that I’ll be able to make a difference,” she said.
The event will also honor Joe Ostenson, the middle school music teacher, with the Mace Education Achievement Award. The event will feature a special guest speaker: John Trasviña, president of the Mexican American Legal Defense an Educational Fund.
“It’s about having fun, but the goal is to raise as much money as we can to send all these kids to college,” said MACE president Veronica Lezama.
Alice Joy covers education for the Free Lance. She can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 336 or at aj**@fr***********.com.
