Help Feed and Support 600 Students in Guatemala

It has been a year full of learning and fun activities. Students recently showcased their English spelling skills in a thrilling spelling bee competition. This event was not just a test of the spelling process, but a celebration of the students' hard work and dedication to mastering a new language. Participating in the spelling bee was an opportunity to gain confidence while navigating the intricacies of English as a second language. The event served as an exemplification of the students’ impressive achievements and the positive impact of bilingual education in their academic growth.

Furthermore, the girls' soccer team performed outstandingly in a recent tournament, and exhibited both dedication and perseverance. Their journey to success was marked by countless hours of practice, strong teamwork, and a deep passion for the sport. The entire school’s community is beaming with pride as the girls celebrate their hard work, commitment, and accomplishments.

Recently, students were treated to an unforgettable experience with a captivating educational animal show that brought the wonders of Guatemala's wildlife right to our school. The event was an exciting and educational opportunity for the children to get up close with a diverse array of animals, from chinchillas to fascinating reptiles. The show sparked curiosity and enthusiasm, allowing students to learn about the animals’ behavior, and the importance of respecting wildlife in a fun and engaging way.

Our youngest students recently took center stage to deliver an engaging assembly on pedestrian safety. Through the use of creative presentations, vibrant props, and informative skits, these students effectively communicated the crucial message of staying safe while walking near roads. Their assembly highlighted essential safety tips such as using crosswalks and paying attention to traffic. Their message resonated with their pupils and teachers alike, reinforcing the school’s commitment to fostering a safe community.

Then came National Week, which consisted of different types of celebrations every day. Students in each grade showed off their hard work through performing their civic acts, and the youngest students closed out the week at the Independence Day parade! They exhibited their enthusiasm and pride with homemade decorations and vibrant outfits while marching through our community. The celebrations ended with each class transforming their classroom into different regions of Guatemala, showcasing the different traditions, typical foods, history, and landmarks in each place.

A career fair was held to give our middle school students a more concrete idea of the different careers they can pursue after 9th grade. 

We also celebrated Guatemala’s National Children's Day by treating our students to a day at the park at a very well known International factory! They enjoyed the outdoors all day while playing games and hosting friendly competitions.

Now, we are preparing for the graduation ceremonies for our prepa students, 6th graders, and 9th graders, and also our month-long vacation school course to finish out the school year! We are excited to see all of the amazing things that our 9th graders will accomplish as they leave our school and continue on to new experiences. Alongside this, we are thrilled to be offering several courses for our vacation school students, such as English, sports, art, and many other types of workshops. We are excited to close out the year on a very positive note and allow students to explore new areas of interest! 

We would like to thank all of our supporters for making all of this possible and for helping us provide the absolute most we can to our students!

Thanks to our donors and supporters who believe in our mission to provide a holistic education, we continue providing our services to our students and their families in 2024.

This year we have implemented several educational technology programs to improve our students' skills in math, reading, and entrepreneurship. The programs are great and we can see our students' interest in learning from these platforms and the improvements in the classrooms. However, teachers often struggle as our computers are becoming obsolete and the programs run slowly or students have difficulty logging in. One of our goals for 2025 is to acquire new equipment that will allow us to continue to move forward and be on the cutting edge, so that our students can continue to improve their skills and learn from the best platforms.

Now that English classes are back for our younger children, we can see that they are really enjoying learning a new language. This is something new and exciting for them and whenever they have the opportunity, they will say words or little phrases in English, especially when they are around our wonderful foreign volunteers.

We have had visits from different hospitals and clinics from Guatemala City and Antigua and they have carried out a pediatric medical day, eye exams, and flour application. A large company that produces items for dental health care also came to the school to donate toothpaste and brushes for the students.

For years we have also had a partnership with an association that specializes in sexual and reproductive education, and they returned this year to give workshops to our older students, as our sexual and reproductive health counselor continues to work with them as well.

By mid-June, our students will be finished with their after-school workshops. At the beginning of the year they enroll in their favorite activities such as: crochet, art, chess, sewing, cooking, dance, cricket, and entrepreneurship, and from February to June they discover new skills in a fun, healthy environment with their peers.

Sports is another area where our students have achieved a lot. So far, the middle school girl's soccer team won 1st place in the regional soccer championship and two of our middle school students won 2nd and 3rd place in a chess tournament.

A group of visitors who came last year brought a donation of cricket equipment and thanks to this our older students are learning this sport and enjoying their afternoons playing. During the months of July and August we will have new visitors interested in sports activities with our students and we are excited to see what other talents and skills will be discovered.