Learning English propels high school graduates to CMC

Aspen, Basalt grads on their way to college, thanks to Alpine Bank Latino/Hispanic Scholarships

Joeli Villa Cedeno and Wilber Marquez wth Alpine Bank representa
Joeli Villa Cedeno from Aspen High School and Wilber Marquez from Basalt High School are among the 11 students who received the 2014 Alpine Bank Latino/Hispanic Scholarship to attend Colorado Mountain College. With them are (left to right) Lucy Moncada de Arcila, Alpine Bank Latino services; Doug Peate, vice president for Alpine Bank in Aspen; Villa Cedeno; Marquez; and Carolina Silva. Photo Charles Engelbert

El Salvador and the Dominican Republic are thousands of miles away in distance and culture from the Roaring Fork Valley. For two young men, their journeys from being non-English-speaking immigrants to high school graduates, and their continuation to Colorado Mountain College in Spring Valley this fall, have made all their efforts worthwhile.

Wilber Marquez was just 4 years old when his parents left him in El Salvador for opportunities in the United States. Four years later, the Marquez family reunited in Basalt, where Wilber struggled to learn English and adapt to a new country.

“My life’s significant struggles as an immigrant with no knowledge of the English language at the age of 8 has helped me persevere towards academic success,” wrote Marquez, in an essay he submitted to be considered for the CMC scholarship.

For Jose “Joeli” Villa Cedeno, language was also a barrier when, as a teenager, he left his mother in the Dominican Republic in 2011 to join his father in Aspen. Determined to be able to communicate and attend high school, Villa Cedeno took English as a second language classes at Colorado Mountain College.

“I have improved my English enough to complete the high school curriculum,” Villa Cedeno stated in his Alpine Bank scholarship application.

Villa Cedeno and Marquez are recipients of two of the 11 Alpine Bank Latino/Hispanic Scholarships awarded to deserving high school seniors this year. Since the program began in 1996, the bank has been awarding scholarships to qualified students in need to attend two years of Colorado Mountain College. More than 170 scholarships within CMC’s district have been awarded through the program since its inception.

To be considered for these specialized scholastic awards, students must be of Latino/Hispanic descent, classify as an in-district student, have at least a 2.5 GPA and demonstrate financial need, among other criteria. Each scholarship ­­– which equals $2,200 a year – helps to cover the cost of tuition, fees and books for two years.

‘A quiet brand of leadership’

Wilber Marquez
Wilber Marquez received the 2014 Alpine Bank Latino/Hispanic Scholarship for Basalt High School. This year the scholarship covers two years of tuition, fees and books for 11 students to attend any Colorado Mountain College campus. Photo Charles Engelbert

Many high school graduates would consider an electronic device or a vehicle one of their most prized possessions, but for Marquez, it’s something altogether different.

“One of my most cherished possessions, and my ticket to a healthy and productive future, is a small paper card [with] my Social Security number on it,” he stated.

Marquez’s goals for his future include attending CMC, earning a certified public accountant’s license and starting his own business.

“Since arriving in the United States, my most sincere focus has been to encourage undocumented and first-generation students to succeed and thrive in school beyond family’s and societal expectations,” he said.

Basalt High School teacher and soccer coach Brent Hayes knows firsthand Marquez’s ability to lead and quietly encourage others, which was validated when Marquez’s teammates voted him one of their soccer captains.

“His leadership style was very important to a team that needed some stability,” Hayes said. “Wilber demonstrates a quiet brand of leadership that served him well on the soccer field.”

Everybody at Aspen High School knows Joeli

Joeli Villa Cedeno
Joeli Villa Cedeno received the 2014 Alpine Bank Latino/Hispanic Scholarship for Aspen High School. This year the scholarship covers two years of tuition, fees and books for 11 students to attend any Colorado Mountain College campus. Photo Charles Engelbert

Some people exude optimism wherever they go. One of those people is Alpine Bank Scholar Villa Cedeno.

“Joeli’s humor, energy and joie de vivre have made him an integral part of Aspen High School the past few years,” said his social studies teacher, Kirk Gregory.

Villa Cedeno’s positive personality is all that more meaningful when remembering that the young Dominican couldn’t even communicate in English when he first arrived in the United States and at high school a short time ago. Finances have been limited as well, and his family has been split apart.

“My father has been working in Aspen for the last 15 years,” he said, “and my mother has remained in the Dominican Republic. Since my arrival in Aspen, I have worked part time in order to support my mother. Consequently, I have not been able to save money for college.”

Now that he’s been awarded an Alpine Bank scholarship, his plans are to take general studies courses at CMC and transfer to another college or a university to earn a bachelor’s degree in marketing.