In 2016 we launched a “Vacation School” which primary school children attended three afternoons a week to work on their reading and math skills. Guatemala’s public educational system in the rural areas is atrocious, and children completing 6th grade still have not necessarily acquired any competency in reading or math. There was enormous interest in the program.

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In 2017 we followed up with an afterschool tutoring program, Helping with Homework. We hired three teachers to spend two hours each afternoon helping primary school children with their homework and general skills. There has been great interest in the program!

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The program was located in space within our Internet Center until 2020. The arrival of COVID19 closed the program down until we were able to reopen in January 2021.

 

In January 2022 we have renamed the program "David Jimenez Learning Center" to honor the beloved young teacher so involved with us along the way who we lost to COVID. His spirit will live on in this vibrant program -- now with 9 teachers, a coordinator, and 91 students enrolled and occupying three large spaces we rent in the community.. We have huge parental support. The public school system really collapsed during COVID and really hasn't completely recovered. The parents recognize the true learning that is going on in their children's two hour five day a week classes. .

 

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