Los Cuatro Amigos: Building Toward a Brighter Future

(This article was written by Beth Marie Cantu Ensign and was featured in the March 2026 issue of Explore Harlingen Magazine.)

In Harlingen, the next generation of skilled trades professionals is preparing to serve the community with hands-on expertise—one weld, one wire, one foundation at a time. One startup nonprofit is working to ensure students who choose careers in trades such as construction, electrical work, welding, and HVAC don’t have to navigate that path alone.

Los Cuatro Amigos (LCA) is a scholarship-focused nonprofit supporting graduating seniors from Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District (HCISD) who plan to pursue careers through Career and Technical Education (CTE). The organization is composed of President Eddie Rodriguez, Vice President Belinda C. Zapata, Secretary Dr. Christian Corrales, and Treasurer Roel Rodriguez, who all noticed a glaring issue: students pursuing skilled trades were often overlooked when it came to scholarships.

Photo courtesy of Los Cuatro Amigos.

“Not because of a lack of talent or ambition, but because of limited access to financial resources. While traditional academic scholarships are common, support for students pursuing career and technical education is often limited,” states Dr. Christian Corrales.

“Our organization is a nonprofit organization that is a scholarship program that is 100% focused on supporting HCISD students that are in the career and technology CTE program that want to go into the trades,” said Roel Rodriguez. “So what we're looking for is to support financially through our scholarship program, any student that wants to go into these trades.”

“There has been a huge gap in a skilled workforce and specifically in the trades for several, several years now,” Roel said. “And I think the way the education process or the system has changed is trying to get kids to all go to college.”

That push, though well-intentioned, has contributed to workforce shortages across the region. And the glaring gap in the workforce is one Eddie Rodriguez sees firsthand in construction. According to Roel, Eddie has repeatedly shared there is “a desperate need to have skilled workers for construction jobs in the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas in general.”

“Career and technical education is vital to the Rio Grande Valley because it directly supports the region’s workforce needs,” he said. “Key industries depend on a steady pipeline of well-trained professionals. By preparing students for these high-demand career pathways, we strengthen the local economy, help address workforce shortages, and ensure that the region’s continued growth is supported by homegrown talent.”

LCA’s primary focus is its scholarship program. The organization partners with HCISD counselors, CTE staff, and teachers to ensure students are aware of the opportunity.

“We reach students through our partnership with HCISD… to ensure the opportunity is visible and accessible,” Dr. Corrales said. “Statistics show that many of these students are first-generation college students and come from households where financial support is limited.”

According to Dr. Corrales, “Our scholarship program uses a structured application and review process that includes evaluation of student essays, recommendation letters, and community involvement. Each scholarship awarded is $500, and the total number of recipients varies each year based on funds raised through our community scholarship donation initiative.”

Roel added that the group stays connected with students and potential scholarship recipients through classroom visits and presentations, working directly with them as well as with district CTE leadership.

Photo courtesy of Los Cuatro Amigos.

In its first year, LCA awarded eight scholarships, with plans to grow. The impact is already visible.

“We do have a success story with one student who graduated from Harlingen High School last year,” Roel said. The student chose to attend IEC, a local electrical training program. “He's already completed his training and is working full time as an electrician.”

That outcome reflects the organization’s larger goal.

“Our goal is not only to get a student to graduate from high school and pursue a career or higher education in the trades, but the goal is to get them employed,” he said. “So on the front end, donations and supporting the scholarship fund. Number two, having a position open and ready for them upon graduation.”

“Community involvement is at the heart of Los Cuatro Amigos,” Dr. Corrales said. “It all begins with serving the students and their families, coupled with our partnership from HCISD, and earnest support from our donors and community partners. Simply put, this is only possible through collective support and generosity.”

Photo courtesy of Los Cuatro Amigos.

Like many young nonprofits, LCA faces the dual challenge of steady funding and broader awareness. The organization is also working to shift cultural perceptions of CTE, reinforcing that it is a respected and valuable pathway, rather than a “plan B.”

“We're trying to start something– getting people to really be aware of this gap in a skilled workforce,” he said.

“We hope people understand that Los Cuatro Amigos is about more than scholarships,” he said. “It’s about community, collaboration, and investing in students’ futures and in the future workforce of Harlingen.”