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Spanish American Institute (SAI)
Scholarship Process for UMC Latino Youth

Guidance in following the Scholarship Application Process

  • Read Scholarship process instructions before filling in Scholarship Application form.
  • To apply online and have your application packet submitted automatically, you must have all required documents: two Letters of Recommendation and the 500 Word Essay, available. If you do have the required documents, complete the Scholarship Application form below and click APPLY NOW.
  • If your required documents are not ready, you may complete Scholarship Application form below now, and click SAVE FILLED-IN APPLICATION. Once you have all the required documents, email saved application and required documents to info@saischolars.org.

Purpose: To provide financial assistance to deserving Latino students pursuing a 2-year or 4-year degree or attending a vocational program who are active members of a local CalPac United Methodist Church (UMC) in Southern California.

The 2022 scholarship dates include the following:

  • Applications available - Feb 12, 2024
  • Deadline for submitting applications - April 30, 2024
  • Scholarship award recipients selected - May 17, 2024
  • Scholarship award recipients notified - May 24, 2024
  • Award presentation at CalPac Conference - Mid-June, 2024

Eligibility Requirements

In order to apply for the UMC Latino Youth SAI Scholarship, applicants must satisfy the following criteria:

  • Be a person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
  • Be an active member of a CalPac local UMC for a minimum of one year.
  • Submit at least one letter of recommendation from the Pastor or church leader.
  • Attending or will attend an accredited 2-year community college, 4 year college or university or vocational program in the next academic school year.
  • Full-time enrollment (minimum 12 units per semester) in a regular degree program is required.
  • A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 in high school and/or college is preferred.
  • Complete the SAI application process.
  • Scholarship applicants do not need to be US citizens. Permanent residents or undocumented students will be considered.
  • Graduate and PhD candidates are not eligible for SAI scholarships.
  • An individual may receive only one SAI scholarship.
  • Scholarship recipients give SAI permission to publish their name and photo for the purpose of promoting the SAI scholarship program.

Required Documents

Complete and submit the SAI application, write a 500-word essay, and submit two letters of recommendation (one must be from applicant’s pastor or church leader). All these required documents must be emailed by deadline date.

The following documents must be available upon request:

  • Copies of official high school and/or college transcripts
  • A FAFSA report or Income Tax documents

Guidance on Documents Requested

Essay

Applicant must complete a 500-word essay on such topics as background, life obstacles, role models, interests, short and long term goals, need for award, and indicate how he/she identifies with the Latino culture.

Letters of Recommendation

At least one letter of recommendation must come from the Pastor or Church Leader. Other letters of recommendations can be from teachers, coaches, community members, employers, and even family members who will attest to the applicant’s character, passion, drive, potential and accomplishments to date.

Transcripts

If the applicant is a high school student, applicant should have all available school transcripts starting with the ninth grade. If the high school student has taken college courses, then it is recommended that s/he obtain transcripts for the college work, also.

Financial information

If unable to file FAFSA application, please have income tax documents available to submit upon request.

Submitted Applications

A completed application and required documents must be received by the deadline date

Notifying Applicants

An email will be sent to those who will receive a scholarship giving them the amount and informing them of the next steps to receive the scholarship. Recipients will have 12 months to provide proof of enrollment or the scholarship award will be withdrawn. The scholarship withdrawal date can be extended an additional 6 months for extenuating circumstances if a written request is received one month before the withdrawal date.

Sending the Checks

Once proof of college enrollment for the fall semester is received by SAI, a check will be sent to the school where the student is attending.

Database

A database of all recipients will be kept to include name, contact information (address, cell, home phone, email address), date scholarship received, school attended, and amount of scholarship, in order for SAI to follow up in the future.

Spanish American Institute

United Methodist Church Latino Youth Scholarship Application

PLEASE READ SCHOLARSHIP PROCESS INFORMATION BEFORE FILLING IN SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION

PERSONAL INFORMATION

EDUCATION

HIGH SCHOOL ATTENDING OR ATTENDED

Colleges you are attending or have attended (if more than one, include others at end of application)

FAMILY INFORMATION

EXPECTED FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION (EFC)

THE OBJECTIVE OF THE FAMILY FINANCIAL INFORMATION IS TO DETERMINE THE FAMILY’S EXPECTED FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION (EFC) TO PAY FOR COLLEGE

IF YOU CANNOT OBTAIN A FAFSA REPORT, THEN GO TO THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE TO DETERMINE YOUR FAMILY’S EFC:

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/paying-your-share/expected-family-contribution-calculator

COMMUNITY SERVICE/VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES/EMPLOYMENT

500 WORD ESSAY

REQUIRED CERIFICATION AND RELEASE

BY SUBMITTING THIS SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION TO SPANISH AMERICAN INSTITUTE, THE APPLICANT CERTIFIES AND AGREES TO THE FOLLOWING:
  • I CERTIFY THAT ALL INFORMATION ON THIS APPLICATION IS TRUE AND COMPLETE TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE.
  • I CERTIFY THAT I MEET ALL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AS SPECIFIED IN THIS APPLICATION AND THE ACCOMPANYING INSTRUCTIONS.
  • I UNDERSTAND THAT APPLICATION MATERIALS BECOME THE PROPERY OF SAI AND WILL NOT BE RETURNED.
  • I UNDERSTAND THAT I MUST NOTIFY SAI OF ANY CHANGE IN MY ENROLLMENT STATUS OR CONTACT INFORMATION. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT A CHANGE IN MY ENROLLMENT STATUS MAY RESULT IN THE CANCELLATION OF ANY SCHOLARSHIP AWARD.
  • I GIVE SAI PERMISSION TO PUBLISH MY NAME AND PHOTOS OF MYSELF FOR THE PURPOSES OF PROMOTING THE UMC LATINO YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM.

Apply Online

Complete Scholarship Application, upload required documents and click APPLY NOW. All documents will be sent to SAI. If required documents are not available at this time, click SAVE FILLED-IN APPLICATION and send application and required documents via Apply Offline instructions.

Drag and drop files here or Browse
Drag and drop files here or Browse
Drag and drop files here or Browse
OR

Apply Offline

Option - 1
Download blank Scholarship Application in PDF form and follow directions in application packet to send to SAI Download Blank Application
Option - 2
Send saved completed application along with 2 letters of recommendation and 500 word essay to info@saischolars.orgSAVE FILLED-IN APPLICATION
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About

Spanish American Institute (SAI) is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to providing educational assistance to Hispanic students in Southern California. Since 1909, when it was established as a boarding school teaching vocational skills to local Mexican boys, SAI has adapted both its structure and its programs to meet the changing needs of the Hispanic community in Southern California. SAI currently offers college and vocational scholarships. SAI’s unique combination of stability and flexibility has proven successful through the years and has helped thousands of Hispanic students to REACH FOR THE STARS! SAI has granted over $160,000 in scholarships to over 260 students between 2008 and 2018. Since SAI has been giving scholarships since the 1970’s, over $1M of scholarships have been awarded.

Community

As one of the fastest growing demographic groups in the United States, Hispanics under the age of 25 are becoming a crucial part of the American social network. It is essential that these young people have access to the preparation they need to become productive, successful adults, capable of meeting the challenges of modern life.

It is widely agreed that a key element of such preparation is quality education. Unfortunately, a solid education has become increasingly difficult for many Hispanic students to obtain, as inner city schools struggle both with increased enrollment and severe per pupil budget cuts. Overburdened teachers are unable to assist students with special educational needs (for example, those whose home language is not English). University tuition costs have skyrocketed, and virtually all colleges struggle to maintain their financial aid programs. Many motivated, intelligent Hispanic students encounter two principal obstacles to attaining higher education degrees: inadequate academic preparation and debilitating financial impediments. SAI hopes to make higher education a reality for those in our community.

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History of SAI

Slide 1
History of the Spanish American Institute
It was in 1909 that a group of concerned members of the Methodist Church in Pasadena created a non-profit organization with a dream to build a school so that Mexican boys might receive an industrial education.
Slide 2
Open for enrollment
The Spanish American Industrial Training School for Boys, located in Gardena, California, just south of Los Angeles, enrolled its first students in the fall of 1913 and a few years later the name was changed to Spanish American Institute.
Slide 2
Vocational Training
Among the vocational classes taught were agricultural (vegetable and landscape gardening), poultry raising, dairying, auto mechanics, radio shop, carpentry, weaving and printing combined later with photography taking, developing and printing, wood carving, rug weaving, copper works, pottery. Some of the highly motivated and skilled boys were able to produce and sell their fine works. In the early years, the boys were instructed in shoe repair and tailoring.
Slide 2
A Legacy of Philanthropy
The Spanish American Institute would become one of Methodism’s oldest institutions in the Los Angeles area servicing the Spanish-speaking community throughout Southern California and served a useful bridge between the churches of Mexico and the United States.
Slide 2
The SAI Herd
Mr. Ernest E. Greenough, a Methodist Laymen of the Sunshine Farms, Merced, California, offered a foundation herd to SAI to establish a pure bred Jersey herd on the Campus. He helped build the first unit of a Dairy Barn, where a teaching unit in dairy husbandry might be carried on. Step by step, with the necessary equipment this teaching unit became the fastest growing vocational program.
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