Mi Escuelita Preschool Breaks Fundraising Effort

DALLAS, Nov. 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Cena de la Mariposa, the annual fundraising dinner and silent auction benefiting the non-profit Mi Escuelita Preschool kicked off the organization's six month fundraising campaign.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141106/157213

Funds raised will be used for scholarships to the school, which provides early-childhood education in English to non-English speaking children from low-income, at-risk families throughout the Dallas area. Last year, Cena de la Mariposa – which means "Dinner of the Butterfly" raised more than $330,000.

A highlight of the evening was the launch of The Story of Emma, a 3-minute movie trailer that depicts the story of a successful young woman who got the educational boost she needed from Mi Escuelita. While the story is fictional, its inspiring message is representative of the children who are positively impacted by a Mi Escuelita education. Donors can activate Shazam while watching the trailer to be directed to the donation site or visit www.thestoryofemma.com where they can view the full trailer and track Emma's and the school's journey.

"Our mission at Mi Escuelita is to give wings to young children like Emma through the gift of language. But we can't do it alone," said Gayle Nave, executive director, Mi Escuelita. "Through their gifts and sponsorships, our community is helping lay the foundation for success with our children. We are so thankful to all who partook in the 2014 Cena de la Mariposa and those who will participate in the campaign over the next six months."

Early-childhood education for non-English speaking children is vital for their future success in Dallas and throughout the U.S. Each year, 95% of children graduating from Mi Escuelita qualify to transition directly to English speaking classrooms. This alleviates the need for higher-cost bilingual education and enables children to avoid remedial English education, thus helping to lower their chances of dropping out of school in later years.

Honors Aplenty

The following organizations and businesses were honored during Cena de la Mariposa for their ongoing support of Mi Escuelita and its students:

• Monarch Award, to Texas Instruments for their community leadership
• Corporate Volunteers of the Year – Dieste, Inc.
• Individual Volunteer of the Year – Ann Roberts

Two graduates of Mi Escuelita were also honored:

• Distinguished Alumnus of the Year – Erika Toledo, Goodwin Lewis, PC
• College Scholarship Winner – Valerie Martinez who is attending University of Texas at Austin

Cena de la Mariposa was held at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas. Sponsors included: Briggs Equipment (presenting sponsor), Kimberly-Clark, Pizza Hut, Alliance Data, Atmos Energy, Jay Duke, Ernst & Young, Estrada-Hinojosa, Mike and Flora Hernandez, Interceramic, Investar, Rafael and Lina Lizardi, Maseca, Texas Instruments, Lisa and Les Vines, Lynn Smith, Topo Chico Mineral Water, Dieste, Moet Hennessy, SignaPay, Strategic Events and Ketchum.

Donations to Mi Escuelita can be made at www.thestoryofemma.com or by shopping on Amazon Smile where a portion of the purchase price on select items is donated to the charitable organization of your choice.  

About Mi Escuelita Preschools
Mi Escuelita Preschool Inc. teaches English to children from all cultures and prepares them for academic success. A 501(c) (3) non-profit organization with five locations in Dallas, Texas, Mi Escuelita provides a unique service to low-income families with children considered to be "at-risk." While remaining strongly dedicated to the preservation of each child's cultural heritage, Mi Escuelita's primary focus is to provide a safe, secure and nurturing environment where non-English speaking children of preschool age are taught the English language, pre-reading, literacy, and social skills necessary to have a successful experience in both school and life. Visit http://miescuelita.org/

SOURCE Mi Escuelita Preschools

Related Links

http://www.miescuelita.org