This year, thanks to some friends and family, $700 was raised for some new computers for the Concepcion Huista junior high! Those computers will be ready to go in January for the new school year. My thank yous really began with Hector, the school's director, who thanks you, too. I got some very generous donations... and I'm very grateful to be able to support the school through those donors.

Currently, teachers are each taking a pay cut in order to personally sponsor 1 student to go through school for 1 year. They use 3 months of pay during the year to give to a student who could not otherwise pay for their education. These 3 months of pay amount to $40 a year. Yes, $40. For 1 year of junior high. Not too much by our standards, but months of income for locals. I am sponsoring 2 students for next year. Any donations would not replace a teacher's support but rather it would be sponsoring yet another kiddo. When the teachers explained this situation to me they were adamant on the fact that they would continue to use their salaries to support students as well. With the teachers only, 13 students out of 180 receive this scholarship. Hector, the director, says there are many more students they wish they could pay for.

If anyone is interested in sponsoring a kiddo for $40, send a check - which will be a tax deductible donation - to:

Friends of Guatemala
PO Box 33018
Washington, DC 20033

- Write "Colleen Rice - Cat. II"

The $40 will go straight to the school and pay the student off for the year, including covering uniforms, supplies and, of course, the school soccer jersey.

The school is not just any school. It is one of the few bilingual - Maya/Spanish - schools in the whole country. They work hard to integrate their culture into regular Ministry of Education curriculum. For example, they have Popti' language class, traditional arts and sports classes, and more stuff emphasizing their Mayan identity. The school was also founded by community members and only employs local teachers. They rock.

Students participating in a traditional ceremony and dance.

I would also like to set up "matches" if anyone is interested in supporting the student for all of junior high (3 years x $40 = $120 over 3 years). Email me if you are interested. I'd love to set up a correspondence exchange to keep in touch with the kid and the supporter. Would be amazing. Thanks for reading.