Help Feed and Support 600 Students in Guatemala

Our students, teachers, and staff are currently on a short summer break - the new school year will begin in mid-January.  This break gives us a chance to pause and consider the amazing things our students and their families have accomplished during the 2019 school year as well as to look forward to the awesome plans we have for the 2020 school year. 

In October, we celebrated the graduation of our 9th graders! This is always a bittersweet ceremony.  We're so proud of these students, who against huge odds have accomplished something that for many of them would have been impossible without your generosity - their sponsors and our great supporters. We'll miss them and their happy energy in the school next year, but we know they're on to big and exciting things and they'll always be a part of the EFTC family. Many of them will continue studying in local high schools, and we'll continue to support them with financial scholarships, career counseling, technological needs, and lots of love and excitement. 

We are looking forward to a new class of "prepa" students joining us for the 2020 school year.  These adorable, energetic, and happy little kindergartners bring immense optimism, hope, and joy into the school. They're wide-eyed, maybe a little nervous, and definitely very excited to start their educations with EFTC - and we're just as excited to be along to support them on their journey!

This time of year is always a busy one for EFTC. We're preparing lesson plans, working out the final details of our budget, decorating classrooms, and trying to grab a few minutes of rest and relaxation before the wonderful and exhilarating controlled chaos of a new school year begins.  We are so glad and grateful that you've decided to join us in this work and support our mission.  It's only because of the generosity of you, our supporters, that these amazing students are able to work with their families to break the cycle of poverty in their communities. Thank you for what you've done in the past to help, and we hope you'll continue to support us for the 2020 school year and beyond!

Our 3rd básico (9th grade) students are about to graduate! They'll be heading off to area high schools and vocational schools next year - and we couldn't be more proud of them.  The dedication that these students and their families show to their educational work and goals is humbling and inspiring, and something we're really proud of supporting.  

Did you know you can help us continue to support these students via scholarships? We are committed to ensuring that our graduates are able to continue their education in high school and in university if they desire, and so we do everything we can to cover the associated costs. By donating to our project here on Global Giving helps us meet this goal. 

Our other students will be wrapping up the school year at the end of October and preparing to come back to classes in January. Some of them, though, will have the good luck (I'm sure they'd agree!) to spend a few weeks with us for summer school. These students will have a lot of fun during summer school while they're also brushing up on some skills they might need to practice before the school year starts again in January. During summer school, we continue to provide the students with the same support they get all year long: social and emotional support, basic medical care, nutritious lunches, and a high-quality education. 

Thank you again for all of the generous and vital support you provide The School of Hope in Jocotenango, Guatemala.  We could not do what we do without you. I hope you'll continue to be a vital member of our team and consider making another donation to our Global Giving project!