Volume II| Issue IV
Message from our CEO
“As we express our Gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
President John F. Kennedy

I was raised by very traditional, spiritual, cultural and loving parents who instilled in us a sense of purpose, belonging and caring for family and others. As Thanksgiving nears many of us think about ways we express our gratitude. We prepare a meal where we come together, we attend prayer services, children’s recitals and provide support to those in need. This is wonderful but wouldn’t it be great to do this all year. I was gifted a wonderful workbook by a friend, “A Year of Living Thankfully”. I love it!! Here are some of the book’s suggestions for expressing gratitude along with ways you can accomplish them with AGUILA:

Be Appreciative. 
Notice any situation that leads you to appreciate what you have in your life. Where possible, think about what you can do to improve a situation for someone else.
***Volunteer - AGUILA needs many.***
Give Something away. 
Tune into your generosity and think about what you could give away? Or you could simply make a donation or give of your time. 
***Your time and funding support a growing number of AGUILA Youth.***
Pay it Forward. 
Think about a good deed soon has done for you. How can you pay it forward? 
***There are so many opportunities to pass it on to our AGUILA Youth.***
Find a Gratitude Challenge. 
Think about whether there is something you could undertake for a good cause? Is there an organization that you’d like to thank, someone you’d like to remember? 
***Scholarships - AGUILA has great opportunities for you to thank someone
through a scholarship donation in THEIR honor.***
Be thankful for your skills. 
Have you stopped lately to think about your own unique talents and abilities and be thankful for them? 
***Share those skills with AGUILA Youth as a volunteer - so many opportunities to inspire and motivate youth - our future.***
Celebrate your life. 
Reflect on every stage of your life so far. What were the key moments? Who were the key people? What were the most positive things that happened to you? 
***AGUILA Storytelling is a great way to inspire our youth.***
Make a personal gift. 
Call on the skills you have or learn some new skills to create something special that shows true love and thanks. 
***There are always opportunities to learn - become an AGUILA Faculty and share your skills while learning new ones.***

“Let us be thankful to people who make us happy; 
they are the gardeners who make us blossom.”
Marcel Proust
From all of us at AGUILA- Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Season.
Tips for Parents & Students!
How to Appeal for More Financial Aid if COVID-19 Affected Your Family Income.

COVID-19 has made the last 18 months very difficult for many families. If you have a senior in high school applying for financial aid, be aware that you can appeal for more financial aid. FAFSA financial aid is based on federal taxes from two years ago and for many, that may not reflect your family’s current financial reality. 
If your family’s income over the last 18 months, was impacted by COVID-19, maybe through job loss, medical expenses, etc. and you don’t believe you have enough financial aid for your child, you can appeal for possibly more financial assistance. Here are some tips for appealing and increasing your chances of getting more money for college.

First, make sure to gather up all necessary documentation like bank statements, tax returns, details on your current financial situation and estimates for what you believe you will need to afford college. Next, find out your schools procedure for appealing for aid. The school may require additional documentation in addition to your appeal letter. Third, write your appeal letter. Address the letter to a specific person in the agency or school financial aid office – you will need to call to get this information. Make sure to include all of the information the school requires. 

Make sure your letter does the following: clearly explains why you need the additional money. Detail the circumstance/hardships your family has experienced as a result of COVID-19. Be sure you include the documentation you gathered before that supports your request. Lastly, thank the individual, school or agency for their time and reconsideration. Your letter should be honest, to the point and polite.

Because of COVID-19, many more colleges are in fact approving appeals they receive from potential students. They understand that this epidemic has impacted so many families in a variety of ways and they have been more responsive to requests for reconsideration. It never hurts to try. As Ms. H always says, “If you don’t A-S-K, you don’t G-E-T!”
AGUILA Alumni Spotlight
Congratulations
AZ State Representative Christian Solorio
(AGUILA Alum, 2008)
Maricopa County Supervisor Steve Gallardo of District 5 recently nominated Christian Solorio to serve as State Representative in Legislative District 30. “Christian is a dedicated servant leader who has advocated for affordable housing, better schools and has worked directly with several charities that serve our most vulnerable populations,” Gallardo said in a press release. “I know Solorio will be a tremendous public servant for the constituents in LD-30.”
Selected from a group of three candidates submitted by a citizen’s panel, Christian comes from humble beginnings growing up in West Phoenix where his family shared an apartment with two other families in order to have a place to live. He attended school in the Alhambra Elementary School District where he continues to serve as a School Board Member and Phoenix High School District while participating in AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute. He would go on to attend and graduate from Arizona State University with a degree in Architecture. 

As a professional architect Rep. Solorio has witnessed disparity in design and disinvestment in communities throughout the state and states that “It shaped my career, and it motivated me to participate in my local planning committee and serve as a local school board member . . . Today, I have received the great responsibility to take it a step further. I appreciate the support of my community, and I look forward to serving each resident in my district.”

Mrs. H. was able to witness his swearing in ceremony. “It was one of the greatest moments of my life. After leaving the ceremony, I cried all the way back to the office. It has been such a privilege to witness the growth of this young leader and, most importantly to know how committed he is to improving the lives of so many children who will follow his lead.”
It's That Time Of The Year....
The AGUILA College Fair - an exclusive fair for our AGUILA 8th - 12th grade students by our AGUILA Alumni is now enhanced with a great opportunity for Alum and other community members to share their careers with our students.

The event is for AGUILA students only.

Sign up today...
For more information, contact
602-518-0612
APS Electric Light Parade
College Spotlight
Get To Know Fordham University
Fordham is a Jesuit university that was established in 1841. It is located in New York City. University President, Fr. Joseph McShane believes, "Cared for, our students are challenged. Challenged, they awaken to their potential. Awakened, they are transformed. Transformed, they are empowered." Fordham believes in educating the whole person with its mission revolving around three basic ideas: Strive for excellence in everything you do, care for others and fight for justice.

Fordham has over 16,000 students with the majority on the Rose Hill (Bronx) and Lincoln Center (Manhattan) campuses. Undergraduate student to faculty ratio is 13:1. Average class size is 22 and nearly 85% of undergraduates received financial aid. 81% of Fordham students completed with at least one internship. Media, finance, fashion, tech, entertainment - New York City is a world capital for countless industries, and we have forged ties with recruiters across the city for both internships and full-time employment.

Making lifelong friends starts with getting involved in things like clubs and Fordham has over 160 of them. Intramurals in basketball, soccer, etc. are also quite popular. College life is going to shape you in so many ways. Much of that growth will occur in the classroom; much of it, though, comes from your engagement with the community and the people in it. Growing the whole person—not just intellectually but morally and emotionally—is a cornerstone of Jesuit education and a central part of the Division of Student Affairs' mission. 
Seuss-isms with Mrs. H
SEUSS-ISMS! - A guide to Life for Those Just Starting Out…and Those Already on Their Way.   Dr. Seuss                                                                                      
Be Grateful

When you think things are bad,
when you feel sour and blue,
when you start to get mad. . .
you should do what I do!
Just tell yourself, Duckie,
You’re really quite lucky!
Some people are much more. . .
oh, ever so much more. . .
oh, muchly much-much more
unlucky than you!

- Did I ever Tell you How Lucky you Are?
Monica's Gift of Zen
COVID-19
From Center for Disease Control(CDC):
Providers across Arizona set to begin vaccinating ages 5-11 against COVID-19
Providers across Arizona are set to begin offering safe, free, and highly effective COVID-19 vaccines to children ages 5 to 11 following this week’s approval by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

"Parents already protect their kids against a host of diseases that have been eliminated or all but eliminated thanks to the modern miracle of vaccines,” said Don Herrington, interim director of the Arizona Department of Health Services. “Now, we can add COVID-19 to that list for the approximately 645,000 Arizona children ages 5 to 11.”

Parents should check with their healthcare provider or pharmacy for availability before taking children to get the vaccine. Walgreens has announced it will begin administering pediatric COVID-19 vaccinations on Saturday, Nov. 6, while CVS announced it will begin on Sunday, Nov. 7.  More information
Giving Opportunities
You can help us make a difference in the lives of a growing number of students who aspire to create change through education. Your generosity is greatly appreciated and is tax-deductible.
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