Alonzo Magnolio Aguilar Raymundo
/Alonzo and his Papá
Alonzo's father, José, tends their small acreage where they try to produce enough corn and beans to feed the family. He is also a mason, but work is spotty and income unreliable i this remote area in the far north east of the Guatemalan highlands. With the blessing of Alonzo's contract, the fammily's combined income barely meets their expenses. Alonzo attends university in Huehuetenango on weekends, so he can go on helping support the family. Although it is just over 40 miles away, it takes him 3 rough hours on the bus to make the trip.
Alonzo believes that mathematics is the base of other sciences, necessary for their pursuit and development, and that education in mathematics supports our personal lives helping us to think logically, analyze situations, and make appropriate decisions. He has high hopes, after he graduates, of being able to open a center for the study of mathematics in his community. He points out that the educational system in Guatemala is one of the worst in the Americas, and that his center would help correct that in his community. He believes strongly that education is a powerful tool to improve the individual and communal lives of Guatemalans.
Alonzo has an impressive record of public and community involvement. He is a musician and cofounder of a local band. He has worked on many boards and community organizations promoting arts, culture, sports and the preservation of the Q'anjob'al language, many of them youth oriented. His grades are very good.
