Karla Ruiz Age:14 Grade:9
D.O.B: October 18, 1996
Los Angeles, CA 90027
February 22, 2011
Dear Scholarship Management Services:
We at the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts would like to recognize and reward our youngest volunteer, Karla Ruiz for her outstanding efforts in our community to make it a better place to live. Karla Ruiz began her acting career on our stage at a young age, helping to bring the spirit of Christmas to the communities of East Los Angeles and inspire many young children to seek knowledge through the art of theatre. Through her efforts on stage she has brought what most mature artists cannot bring to an audience by connecting with the youth and maintained a rigorous schedule and hours of rehearsal. Her dedication to the theatre has been a great help to our non-profit theatre which serves the low to medium income families of East Los Angeles especially during the difficult economy when we depend on volunteers and sponsorships from the local population. By setting an example to her peers as well as those around her, we feel that Karla Ruiz is by far the best choice for the Kohl’s Cares Scholarship Program and that she rises far and above what one might expect from a child of her age.
Managing Director and Board member Lina Montalvo was quick to recognize the maturity and tactics of Karla Ruiz as she volunteered her time and talents to the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts. She commends her by saying:
“Karla Ruiz is a talented and exceptional young girl. She has worked in the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts (BFA) every year since December 2005, playing minor and featured roles in the play “Too Many Tamales” that is produced each year at Christmastime. She has shown ambition and drive volunteering as backstage assistant in the production of “A Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Park” and in “Blood Wedding”. In our current production “Life is a Dream:”opening Feb 25, 2011 she will be running the light board.”
Lina Montalvo also pointed out that Karla Ruiz volunteers for the Oaxaca Institute, assisting low income children in developing language skills. In her community, many people are not only talking about Karla Ruiz, they are also speaking with her and improving their lives as a result of it.
Karla Ruiz is 14 years old and attends the ninth grade at Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, many girls her age would rather watch television that have interest in culture, theatre and linguistics. Stage Manager Cecilia Garcia-Serrano has the footsteps that Karla follows most throughout the theatre which is housed in the “Old Jail” of Lincoln Heights just outside of downtown Los Angeles at the end of Broadway leaving the city’s famous Chinatown district. Cecilia was the first to remark about the magic that Karla brings to the theatre, noticing her eagerness to learn all aspects of the stage and her natural joy that kindles enthusiasm with the staff and the patrons. Cecilia shared her passion and program with Karla, and with hands on experience behind the scenes and in front of an audience, Karla has been able to share her passion with her community.
Karla herself says that what she has learned from volunteering her time at the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts is to “co-exist with different people from around the world.” Her most memorable experience volunteering in the community was receiving a certificate for her participation in “Cronicas de Immigrantes” for a noble cause held by the organization Yucateca, also known as Casa de la Cultura Maya. Karla Ruiz believes that volunteering is important because it helps others and keeps people active in the community. She especially enjoys volunteering her time to help others because it brings new experiences and new learning opportunities. Although she hasn’t convinced any of her friends to volunteer along with her, she takes pride that her Father is by her side volunteering; who she says sets the best example for her. Karla Ruiz is thankful for this chance to be nominated for the Kohl’s Cares Scholarship Program, she believes that it will help make her be more successful in life.
Karla Ruiz is an outstanding child in her community because of her volunteering efforts at the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts. She has been recognized for her hard work and stands out from the other children her age because she gives her time to help others. Her example qualifies her without a doubt to be a top contender for the Kohl’s Cares Scholarship. With the help of Kohl’s and her community, Karla Ruiz will go far and will continue to help others and set an example for others to follow. Please take into consideration our Karla Ruiz for this scholarship because we support her efforts and believe that she is deserving of this award.
Thank you for your time in consideration for this scholarship.
Sincerely,
Matthew M Brown
Director of Development and Operations
