Young pugilists raise money, pass bikes out to students

Brothers Carlos “Super Fly” Sanchez and Nico “NAS” Sanchez  are amateur boxers.  They dream of one day turning pro and becoming world champions.

But in the eyes of hundreds of students and staff at Loma Verde Elementary School in Chula Vista the two brothers are already champions for their contributions to Loma Verde Elementary School.

“It’s always important that they come back to this school and give back to the students here,” said Loma Verde teacher Jaclyn Alvillar who once taught Carlos.

“Our students get empowered when they see Carlos and Nico giving back.”

Carlos, 15, now a Hilltop High School sophomore, attended Loma Verde as an elementary school  student. Two years ago, Carlos used his connections in the boxing world to help raise close to $2,000 to send some sixth graders to six grade camp for free. The fundraiser included auctioning off autographed boxing and MMA gear, posters, and selling their own boxing shirts for $3 each.

“That was a big help for our students because a lot of them do not have money for camp,” Alvillar said.

The fundraising event was such a success that Loma Verde invites Carlos and his younger brother Nico,9, to help with other fundraising efforts.

“The kids and staff at Loma Verde Elementary ask for them,” said the boys’ father Carlos Sanchez. “They ask for them to come (to raise money). They look at them like stars or something.”

Although Nico attends Hilltop Elementary School, his father says staff and students their do not know he boxes or that he financially helps Loma Verde Elementary School.

At Loma Verde elementary last year Carlos took it upon himself to give away bikes to students who were victims of bullying while maintaining good grades.

One of the bikes they gave out went to a kid whose home burned down and had lost his bike in the fire, Carlos said.

“There’s just kids out there that are less fortunate than others,” Carlos says about why he gives back. “I like to help these kids out so that they don’t feel like they have to resort to bad behavior and so that they know there are caring people out there.”

In April, the two brothers raised enough money to purchase pro-style scooters for deserving Loma Verde students during the school’s annual multi-culture festival.

“Ever since they gave away the bikes and they seen the reaction of the kids, they seemed to want to give back even more,” Carlos Sanchez said about his sons.

Eventually, Carlos said the plan is to help out other schools.

“I’m going to try to help fundraise to more schools so everyone can benefit, not just Loma Verde students,” he said.

Alvillar said the fact that the boys’ want to help out other schools does not surprise her.

“If this is what they are doing now, who knows what they can do on a larger scale.”