Club members impressed with resources in district
Published in the July 22 – Aug. 4, 2015 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Staff Report
From left, Rotary Club President Peter Anderson and Ameca Rotary Club members Lilia Ballesteros and Jorge Mandujano Lopez interact with students at Nordstrom Elementary School during the Mexican club’s visit to Morgan Hill.
Photo by Marty Cheek
The bridging of two countries took place last month when representatives from the Rotary Club of Morgan Hill’s sister club in Ameca, Mexico, came for a week-long visit to the South Valley region. The guests explored Morgan Hill as well as took day trips to Monterey and other locations.
Among the “ambassadors” was Ameca Rotary Club President Mario Torres who visited Morgan Hill for the third time and was impressed by the local club’s involvement with schools after taking a tour of Nordstrom Elementary School with Rotary Club of Morgan Hill’s President Peter Anderson.
“What I see in the (Morgan Hill) club is the commitment to support youth in their development and in their education, and that’s something that stands out,” Torres said through the translation of Rotary Club of Morgan Hill member Claudia Rossi. “That’s why I’m a member of the club, because it’s a club that promotes service above self. And those who have welcomed us here in Morgan Hill are people who have a lot of heart and a lot of soul and they see a lot of positive feelings toward life. We identify very much with those values. They’re excellent friends.”
Visitor Lilia Ballesteros noted that children provide a point of connection for all countries:
“In common is that the children have a desire and enthusiasm for learning,” she said through Rossi’s translation. “It moves me very much to be in a classroom and see the enthusiasm that the children have and the eagerness to learn.”
One difference she noted is that Morgan Hill school shave more material resources and a lot more technology to teach students in classrooms compared to Ameca public schools.
Visitor Jorge Mandujano Lopez said he had recently joined the Ameca Rotary Club and said it was his first visit to Morgan Hill The sister club relationship between Morgan Hill and Ameca show many similarities and differences.
“They might have less material goods, but there is a great joy in Mexico in Ameca, a joy for life, a valuing of life, even though there are disparities materially,” he said. “I think we can help each other mutually. That sisterhood is based on common values of service to community. They’re joined in common values. In terms of education, we’re lacking a lot of resources, but we compensate by sacrificing and by the desire to serve students.”
Lopez hopes that students from Ameca might visit Morgan Hill and Morgan Hill students in turn will visit his own city, which has a population of about 57,000 and is located in the state of Jalisco.
“One of the things we notice in common is that a child is a child whether they’re here or in Mexico,” he said. “They have an innate characteristic. They have the hope to stand out and be excellent citizens.”
Margarita Medina said that Morgan Hill provides a positive culture and she invites local residents to Ameca to enjoy the food and beaches. The Morgan Hill schools provide a model for Ameca in terms of the information technology provided to students.
“My perception is that as a country we are lacking resources in terms of education and technology,” she said. “For us to come here and see all you have and the access that even a very young child has to technology, it makes one think that as Mexicans we need to do all we can to provide that access to the children in Mexico. That technology is available in Mexico, but in private schools where you pay tuition to be there. My desire is to have this technology accessible whether they go to private school or public school. I really like this system that you have here.”
