EDUCATION
Scholarships and Relief Efforts

Cynthia and Katia, both cancer survivors, have focused their charitable work on cancer awareness, fundraising, and Sue Sue Sisters performances for local cancer groups such as Relay for Life and the Moffitt Cancer Center Arts in Medicine program in Tampa. When Cynthia's mother passed away of pancreatic cancer in 2012, she started the Caryl Haring Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Davenport Schools Foundation. The fund provides educational scholarships to graduating seniors going into education to "make a difference in the lives of children," as her mother did for nearly 40 years of teaching. Since 2013, Caryl's scholarship fund has given out 33 scholarships, totaling more than $21,000. 

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When Cynthia was a senior in college, she experienced firsthand the power of an award given in support of “someone’s dream and path of study” when she received a $180 creative writing award. She says: “It isn’t the amount of money that matters most, but rather that someone cares and believes in you.” So, Haring and Valdeos decided to provide similar support through “School of Fish” album sales in Iowa and Florida in May-June 2019. They raised $1,200 for Caryl’s Fund with additional $5,000 in personal donations that Cynthia and Katia gave to the Davenport Schools Foundation in 2020-2021.

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Cynthia and Katia are also members of the Hispanic Scholarship, Civic and Cultural Foundation in Spring Hill, FL. The group hosts fundraisers for Latin music dances, fashion shows, yard sales, and festivals. Cynthia & Katia give on-going donations to the scholarship fund for graduating Hispanic students going to college.