My name is Ashley. I received a TRVFA grant sponsored by the Kino Rotary Club in August 2020. Without it I wouldn't have been able to buy my dental hygiene instrument kit and get started with school. During the two-year wait for the dental hygiene program at Pima Community College in Tucson, I worked hard and saved money for school. I am paying for my education on my own with the help of scholarships, grants and school loans. When the semester was starting, I learned I needed to buy a $5,000 instrument kit in addition to paying tuition and buying textbooks. I was not financially able to afford it. With the grant received from TRVFA through the sponsorship of the Kino Rotary Club I was able to buy my instrument kit. Without this help I wouldn't have known where else to turn. I'm incredibly grateful for your team.
I am now in my second semester of dental hygiene working on patients and going to school six days a week while working on my one day off. This is the hardest obstacle I have yet to encounter, but yet the most fulfilling. I am gaining so much knowledge and in May 2022, I'll be graduating and starting my journey as a registered dental hygienist. First stop is to join my classmate Loren from the Phillippines and provide dental care for the people of her hometown. Then I will come back to the states and help our people and spread smiles through my line of work.
I can't wait to be a part of your Rotary group post graduation to help struggling students like myself to give them a chance for a better future.
The pictures are of my first three patients of my dental hygiene program experience - my very own family - My Dad, Mom and big brother. I had just taken full mouth x-rays on them and now I am using those x-rays for my scaling (cleaning) appointments this semester.
I am so incredibly grateful for my education and this experience! There's so much to look forward to.
Thank you very much!
Sincerely,
Ashley