Education Guatemala Project #1496

Provide Scholarships to Mayan High School Students

by Adopt-a-Village in Guatemala

Project Report | Aug 8, 2008
August 2008 Update

By Mark Latham | Adopt-A-Village Board of Directors

Students making benches for the school

The Main (school) building of the Mayan Center is now 95% complete, with solar power systems now being added. Potential students at the school have been attending practical classes on veterinary training, carpentry and other trades given by visiting volunteer professionals. In turn, these young Mayans have plied their newly acquired skills into helping with the raising of animals for food and the construction of furniture such as desks, chairs, benches, bookcases and beds. They have also been working on the construction of small dormitory houses, since most if not all the full time students that will be attending the school when it opens come from villages many hours drive (or days walk) from the center and will need lodging and food.

The creation of the center is a monumental achievement that is owing to the generosity of our donors and volunteers and the hard work of the residents of the surrounding villages. For the first time in this area of Guatemala, Maya youth who qualify for admission will have the opportunity to receive a high school education and all the benefits such an education will provide.

The need for funding for scholarships is now more imperative than ever, since the school plans to open shortly once final permits to hold a full academic curriculum are received by the organization from the Government. Applications for scholarships are currently being distributed to and accepted from students completing Grade 9 this year.

Local educators will have to be paid to teach and live at the center, and it is through student scholarships that much of this money will be obtained.

AAV continues to fund-raise for students’ scholarships. As the center nears completion, the need for scholarship funds becomes more immediate and critical. The Maya need financial assistance to realize their long-denied dream of obtaining an education that will afford them the skills they need to improve their own lives and those of their fellow villagers. Please join us in this endeavor. To those who have already provided donations for scholarships, AAV thanks you on behalf of the very appreciative Maya.

Permalink

Aug 15, 2007
Update on Mayan High School Student Scholarships

By Mark Latham | Board Member, Adopt-A-Village

The final phase of construction of the Mayan Center is under way. Doors and windows have been installed and the interior work is proceeding apace. The local Maya are currently doing the construction, and it is with great hope and enthusiasm that they—and we—anticipate the opening of the center in 2008 for full-time classes. The creation of the center is a monumental achievement that is owing to the generosity of our donors and volunteers and the hard work of the residents of the surrounding villages. For the first time in this area of Guatemala, Maya youth who qualify for admission will have the opportunity to receive a high school education and all the benefits such an education will provide.

While final construction is taking place, the center is being used to hold practicums and seminars. In February an expert carpenter from the United States taught a series of carpentry classes to local Maya youth. In May another accomplished American carpenter gave on-the-job training and assistance to the Maya who are helping to finish building the center. Presently, several Maya youth are carpentry interns at the center. Later this year noted Maya author and educator Senor Gaspar Pedro Gonzalez will teach classes on Maya culture, including language and arts.

One volunteer described her experiences at the center during a recent visit. “I was awed by the group of 20 teens who rose at 4 a.m. and hiked 17 kilometers, much of it uphill, to participate in a carpentry class at the new Mayan Center. Despite the effort, at the day’s end, they were reluctant to stop planing and sawing the wood for the beds they would finish building the next day.” This volunteer continued: “Among many other things, students at this residential high school will have the chance to learn to farm in a way that will preserve the precious rainforest that surrounds the school. It’s thrilling to see this project become a reality, a viable opportunity for youth who otherwise would have no chance for advanced education.”

Permalink

About Project Reports

Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.

If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.