Education Guatemala Project #14164

Empower Maya Youth in a Post-Genocide Community

by Limitless Horizons IXIL

Empower Maya Youth in a Post-Genocide Community

Project Report | Nov 7, 2025
Susana's Path from Curiosity to Confidence

By Elena Laswick | Director of Communications

Susana (center) at Colegio Horizontes

When Susana joined the very first class at Colegio Horizontes in 2022, she was a quiet but curious 7th grader who dreamed of becoming a nurse. She knew she wanted to help people, but she wasn’t yet sure how far her own potential could reach.

After transitioning to high school this past January, becoming the first in her immediate family to do so, Susana began exploring what truly inspired her in her new career pathways class. Guided by Chajul native career pathways specialist, Ilaria Itzep, she discovered a fascination with chemistry and a growing confidence in her own abilities. The result? She realized she no longer wanted to be a nurse, she wanted to be a surgeon: “I want to help prevent and treat illness, save lives, and inspire others to care for their own health,” Susana says.

Meanwhile, through Limitless Horizons Ixil’s mentorship home visits and parent workshops, Susana’s father Pedro learned how to better support Susana emotionally and academically, even though his job as a bus driver meant he was often cheering her on from afar.

Just this year, Pedro became a steady source of support and motivation, and with his renewed involvement and Susana’s mentor’s guidance, her confidence and grades soared. By August, she became the only high school student from Colegio Horizontes to qualify for the state-level Science Olympiad in Physics—an incredible achievement in a subject she only began studying this year.

Susana’s journey reflects how students' horizons expand when they, and their families, are empowered with guidance, mentorship, and education. What began as a hope to help others has evolved into a clear plan for her future.

Susana and her parents - middle school graduation

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Jul 22, 2025
Meet Jessenia: Thriving in Colegio Horizontes' First High School Class

By Elena Laswick | Director of Communications

Jessenia with her High School peers

When Jessenia first walked through the doors of Colegio Horizontes as a 7th grader in 2022, her future was uncertain. The pandemic had severely disrupted her education, leaving her testing at a kindergarten reading level. She was shy, academically behind, and like many girls in Chajul, she had never imagined pursuing studies beyond primary school.

Fast forward just three years, and Jessenia’s story has transformed. With the guidance of Limitless Horizons Ixil's dedicated teachers and mentors, she not only caught up to her peers but also graduated from middle school in November 2024, an achievement only 11% of people in Chajul can boast. For Jessenia, this milestone was deeply personal: she became the first person in her immediate family to complete middle school.

A New Era: High School at Colegio Horizontes

Now in 10th grade, Jessenia is part of Colegio Horizontes’ inaugural high school class, and she is thriving. She’s testing at grade level and is excited by her new coursework, including philosophy, chemistry, and physics. Thanks to the opening of the region’s first and only science lab, students like Jessenia can engage in hands-on experiments for the first time—like extracting DNA from bananas.

Beyond Academics: Mentorship and Confidence

Jessenia’s success isn’t only academic. Throughout her education, she has been supported by mentorship, a core component of the Colegio Horizontes model. With the help of her mentor, Olga—a Limitless Horizons Ixil alumna and one of the first Indigenous women from Chajul to serve in this role—Jessenia developed emotional intelligence, communication skills, and resilience.

“Before I started at Colegio Horizontes, I didn’t even know what emotions were. Now, I’ve learned how to talk about them,” says Jessenia. “I’ve even noticed changes in my mom. We both regulate our emotions and communicate better now.”

This personal growth inspired Jessenia’s career aspirations. She now dreams of becoming a psychologist so she can return to Colegio Horizontes as a mentor, continuing the cycle of empowerment in her community.

Building Digital Skills for a Changing World

When Jessenia started middle school, she had never touched a computer. In Chajul, limited internet access and technology scarcity are common. Today, thanks to Colegio Horizontes’ growing technology program, Jessenia is now learning digital literacy, coding, and how to use technology to solve real-world problems.

Her teacher, Cecilia Xinix—the first Indigenous woman from Chajul to pursue a master’s degree in information technology—has been an especially inspiring guide.

“I love learning from Cecilia because she understands where we come from,” Jessenia says. “She makes technology feel exciting and possible. I can’t believe that just a few years ago I couldn’t even turn on a computer.”

Preparing for the Future: Career Pathways and Community Leadership

Jessenia is also developing a clearer vision for her future through her new high school Career Pathways class, led by Ilaria Itzep, a Chajul native and first-generation college graduate. This course helps students identify their skills, explore career options, and prepare for university entrance exams or vocational training.

“I already knew I wanted to be a mentor, and one of the careers that matched my interests was psychology. That’s when I realized the connection between my dreams and the possible careers I could pursue,” Jessenia explains.

Meanwhile, in the Community Projects course led by teacher Nohemí Pérez, Jessenia and her peers are learning project management and local leadership skills. Jessenia is currently collaborating with classmates on a project to address the growing trash problem in Chajul—transforming classroom lessons into real-world impact.

The Future We’re Building Together

In Chajul, where fewer than 5% of youth complete high school, Jessenia’s trajectory is a powerful testament to what’s possible with the right support. Colegio Horizontes integrates STEM education, digital literacy, leadership development, and mentorship into a holistic model that equips Chajul's youth not only with academic knowledge but with the confidence and skillsto be changemakers in their community.

Thank you for being part of this transformative journey.

Jessenia's Middle School Graduation

Jessenia in her Career Pathways class

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Mar 26, 2025
Karelyn's Vision for Equality in Chajul

By Elena Laswick | Director of Communications

Karelyn at her middle school graduation Nov 2024

Karelyn Fresly, in Colegio Horizontes’ first-ever high school class, embodies the hope and potential that Limitless Horizons Ixil strives to nurture. As part of Colegio Horizontes’ first class of students in 2022, Karelyn’s takeaways from her first three years are a testament to the transformative power of education and its ripple effects on the community.

“I feel so proud and happy to be part of the first class of Colegio Horizontes students,” Karelyn shares. “When I graduated from middle school this past November, it was another achievement I could celebrate with my family. Now, I want to be an example for future students—to raise my voice for truth and justice and ensure greater gender equity in the future…I would like to be a local example of an empowered female leader in town.”

Colegio Horizontes has equipped Karelyn and her classmates with tools to challenge these stereotypes and inspire change. “I’ve always wanted to support others, especially women, so they know they have the same rights as men and can do whatever they set their minds to,” Karelyn says. Through mentorship and entrepreneurship classes, she has gained skills in innovation and leadership, which she uses to model equality and resilience for her peers and younger students. Besides what she learns in class, Karelyn also has plenty of strong female role models at school: “Cecy [technology teacher], Olga [mentor], Odi [Director of Colegio Horizontes], and everyone involved with LHI who do everything in their power to transform the educational landscape here in Chajul, are examples for me that it’s possible to overcome challenges and achieve great things.”

Karelyn views Colegio Horizontes and its graduates, both past and future, as drivers of progress in Chajul. She believes education is the foundation for fostering change and achieving greater equality, and that leading by example is key: “Over time, I think we will see more gender equity in town. The way to achieve this is by modeling the skills and values—like the ones we learn at school—in our community.” With aspirations to become a gynecologist and address the lack of women in the field locally, Karelyn credits the school’s teachers and staff for inspiring her journey. “Thanks to the support of Colegio Horizontes, I know I will achieve my dreams,” she shares.

Karelyn’s passion for creating change is deeply rooted in her experiences and aspirations. She remembers an incident from her childhood when a little girl was belittled by a boy for dreaming of becoming a local leader. “He told her she would never achieve her dream because only boys had the right to go to school,” Karelyn recalls. “If I were to see a boy treat a girl like that now, with what I’ve learned at Colegio Horizontes, I would encourage her to believe in herself and make sure she knows that anything is possible no matter what her background or gender.”

Karelyn’s experience and takeaways from her first three years at Colegio Horizontes are shining examples of how education ignites change—not just for individuals, but for entire communities. Her passion for justice and equality, fueled by the mentorship and opportunities at Colegio Horizontes, reflects a vision of a more equitable Chajul. With her determination and the foundation she’s building, Karelyn is poised to inspire future generations to dream bigger and achieve more.

Karelyn in Technology class in the Computer Lab

Karelyn during the local Independence Day parade

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