Project Report
| Dec 19, 2024
Congrats Class of 2024!
By Christine Garrison | Project Leader
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December marks the end of the school year in Guatemala, when we celebrate the Class of 2024 and take a holiday for Christmas and New Year. At our year-end gathering earlier this month, your support allowed us to celebrate all that our students and their families accomplished this year, with music, dancing, food and games!
We graduated 4 children who will move on to primary school next year while the remaining 13 will return after the holiday break to start a new year at the Center. We are proud of all they've done this year and we are grateful for your support to make it happen! We had special celebrations for our graduates:
- Luna, who started at the Center when she was just 2, especially loved to help the younger children and play mother in the playroom
- Aliz, an only child who always wanted to be the center of attention, learned to enjoy sharing and loved playing chef for her classmates
- Jiménez, who had been cared for by an elderly grandmother especially loved playing with classmates and completing schoolwork
- Ian, who was struggling with poor respiratory health but the excellent nutrition, medical attention and healthy environment at the Center helped to build his immune system, making him more resilient
Your support also allowed us to provide traditional canastas navideñas (Christmas gift baskets) for each family to take home. This tradition ensures that our families have the basic food supplies to be able to celebrate Christmas together. Thank you!
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Oct 31, 2024
Meet New Student Alejandro
By Christine Garrison | Project Leader
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Alejandro, age 3, started at the Acorn Childcare Center last month. He lives with his parents and two older brothers. His parents both work so his older sister, who no longer lives at home, picks him up each afternoon from the Center.
Alejandro has difficulty speaking clearly and communicates with babbles, making it difficult for his classmates and staff to understand what he needs. When he started at the Center he was also still using a bottle and wearing diapers. Despite these challenges, Alejandro adapted easily when it came to staying at the Center. He cried often during his first days but now when his mother leaves him he is happy and enjoys playing with his classmates.
His mother is very grateful that Alejandro is able to attend the Center. Before, she could not find anyone to take care of him and it was difficult for her to go to work. Because of your generosity, we are able to give young children like Alejandro a safe caring environment, nutritious meals and a better start to their education. Thank you!
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Sep 15, 2024
Our Young Students Celebrate Independence Day in Guatemala
By Christine Garrison | Project Leader
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We know how important it is that children learn about, celebrate and take pride in their local culture. Last week, to help celebrate Guatemalan Independence Day, students and staff at the Acorn Childcare Center held a colorful celebration of Guatemalan culture. Students decorated the classrooms with national symbols including el quetzal, Guatemala’s national bird, and monja blanca, Guatemala’s national flower. They wore trajes típico (traditional costumes), danced to the music of the Marimba and marched in their own parade through the hallways, much like the big parades held in the streets on Independence Day, with family clapping and singing along. Your continued support makes moments like this possible for our students. Thank you!
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