Harthcock-Lyle-Strong Scholarship Program

Overview

Historical Background

The Scholarship Program dates from 2009 when past member Marvin Harthcock joined the club and introduced his existing program to the club for support.    In 2013 the club created an annual scholarship in his name to further support students and in his honor.

   Marvin Harthcock

  Doug Lyle, past president deceased, provided support and leadership in ensuring that the program continued to be supported during this presidency.  Doug’s family are contributors to the program.

 Les Strong, past member deceased, was an active supporter of education while in the club.   Les’s family are contributors to the program.

When Marvin returned to the U.S. past member Gardner Marcy managed the program.   Gardner has continued to support the funding of the program by  linking the Rotary Club Plainfield of Plainfield, IL to the program.

Throughout  the years it has supported students at all of the levels of education.   In the early years management of the program was done by a club program manager actively involved in the distribution of funds to students, setting up supply accounts at local stores and paying tuition to schools.  This became a full time job as the program grew.  That coupled with a turnover in program managers resulted in the club entrusting distribution of funds to the schools in the program.

So in  recent years the club has issued funds to a specific school on behalf of identified students and or to the school’s general scholarship fund or programs.  A school then credit’s a student’s account using the funds.  Students are rarely given funds directly unless they have paid for a cost that should have been covered by the scholarship.

Schools Currently Being Supported

The Regional Preparatory School of Chapala (School website Click)

“The Regional Preparatory School of Chapala is a dependency of the Higher Secondary Education System (SEMS) of the University of Guadalajara, which promotes the comprehensive education of young people in the region of the Ribera de Chapala region, through the delivery of the Baccalaureate in the modalities schooled and semi-co-educated through the General Baccalaureate by Competences (BGC), Technological Baccalaureate in Tourism (BTT) and the General Baccalaureate by Interdisciplinary Areas (BGAI).

To achieve its aims, it seeks that its academics, propitiate and facilitate in the student the acquisition and construction of knowledge of science, art, technology and culture in general, through teaching-learning and the promotion of fundamental values , such as honesty, solidarity, social responsibility, ecological awareness, tolerance and respect for human rights, enabling their access to higher education and / or their integration as productive people in society.  

Competition to enter the school is very competitive.  A student must be in the 85% group or better.  In a given semester there are 250 openings, typically around 750 students apply.

Scholarship Format

Students must maintain an academic performance of 80% or better and be able to demonstrate financial  need to be considered for a scholarship.

  1. The scholarship project is a year to year commitment.   So each year the project is reviewed and renewed subject to funding.  This is done by 1 June.
  2. Students can only be assured of a 1 year scholarship for a given year.
  3. When a student graduates, 3 years/6 semesters.  The school managers places a new student into the program.  If a student leaves school before graduating, a new student replaces them.
  4. 27 students is the cap on the program.  There are currently 20 students at the Chapala site and 7 at Mezcala.

A scholarship costs 1200 per student per semester.  Breakdown of costs.  Will vary by student.

  1. Payment to Guadalajara University
  2. Payment to Chapala Prep
  3. Books
  4. Supplies

Students are reimbursed for costs if one of the above costs required payment prior to RCOA issuing the total semester payment.  

Academic year Semester A covers from January to July.

             Semesters B covers August to December.

RCOA pays the school two payments annually, one in each semester in the amount of 32400.0 pesos to support 27 students.

Funding sources:  Private donors, both non members and members, club fundraising

05.16.2020