The Martha Barrios Mead Scholarship

The Martha Barrios Mead Scholarship honors the life and legacy of Martha Barrios Mead (1951-2017), a passionate bilingual speech pathologist, diagnostician, and a founding force behind Los Niños Primero. In partnership with Executive Director Maritza Morelli, Martha helped bring our vision to life, launching our very first program in 1999.

Born in Chile, Martha moved to the United States at the age of 12. She went on to build a fulfilling career as a speech pathologist, dedicating her life to supporting children in elementary schools across California and later in Cobb County, Georgia. Martha’s love for education, combined with her commitment to serving the Latino community, became the cornerstone of her work at Los Niños Primero. For 17 years, she was a passionate volunteer and a vital member of our Board of Directors, working tirelessly to fulfill our mission of fostering lifelong learning in Georgia’s Latino preschool community.

Despite a three-year battle with cancer, Martha continued to serve as a guiding force until her passing in 2017. To ensure her impact lives on, the Martha Barrios Mead Scholarship was established in 2018. This endowment honors Martha’s unwavering dedication to education and will continue to support future generations of Latino students from Los Niños Primero as they pursue higher education.

As our first preschool students approached college age, the scholarship was created to provide financial assistance to help these students, who have been with us since their early years, achieve their academic goals and dreams.

Eligibility Requirements

The Martha Barrios Mead Scholarship is open to Los Niños Primero participants who meet the following criteria:

This scholarship is a tribute to Martha’s vision and commitment, ensuring that her legacy continues to inspire young Latino students to pursue their educational aspirations.