Closure of LDS Church school 'an opportunity'

When leaders from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced the closure of its Benemerito de las Americas High School in Mexico City in preparation for converting the facility into a missionary training center last January, one education-based nonprofit organization realized drastic change was imminent. For the last 15 years, those associated with Foundation Escalera have gone to Mexico’s poorest villages in search of students and awarded them scholarships to attend Benemerito with the overall goal of helping to gradually change a cycle of poverty. Since 1998, Escalera has sent more than 1,200 students to the LDS Church-owned high school.