By Kelly Shank –

Last week we shared about the fun activities our kids are enjoying during their school vacation. As they are honing their soccer skills and learning new songs on the keyboard, Cecilia and Alejandra have been busy preparing for the new school year. In January, 36 of our children will be attending school.

Spread between five separate schools we will have children in grades ranging from Pre-K through high school.

Enrolling children in five different schools might seem like unnecessarily making life harder but offering individualized education is one of our core beliefs. The majority of our children will attend one of four private schools in Guatemala City: Colegio Hossana, Colegio Shaddai, Centro Educativo Verapaz, or Coeli. A few children, mainly those who are foster care placements and those who are newer or behind in their schooling, will attend our local public school. Once they are caught up academically and placed with us permanently we will determine if a different school best meets their needs.

These schools each offer a very unique opportunity for children. Centro Educativo Verapaz and Coeli offer specialized learning environments for our children who struggle with delays, need some extra help, or work best in a different type of classroom. Coeli is especially helpful to prepare older children because they offer classes that prepare kids for their future careers like culinary arts.

Colegio Hossana and Colegio Shaddai are amazing private schools where our children have flourished for years. Although they are academically challenging, our children are excelling in their programs. One of the biggest benefits is that our children are able to learn English which gives them a valuable skill for their future. We are lucky to have found schools who value each of our kids and partner with us to help them excel.

It’s been amazing over the last several years to watch the changes within our house. We have transitioned from a house full of cribs to a house full of backpacks. Five more of our children will be attending school for the very first time with us this year. Carlitos, Lucero, Carlos Emmanuel, Marco Antonio, and Marvin Omar are all very excited for the adventure of going to school. Alejandra says they are really excited to make new friends and learn new things like the older kids.

For some of our children, January will mean attending a new school. Four of our children will be attending Centro Educativo Verapaz this year because we believe it offers the best learning environment for each of them. Additionally, three of our children are transferring to Colegio Shaddai as well. For these children the transition may mean that school is a little bit more difficult than before. We like our children to be challenged in school so they can also celebrate the joy of achieving their goals. Each year we are amazed by the growth we see in our children’s education.

Thanks to the efforts of Lucky, our teacher, the children are well-prepared for the new school year. Even though our kids were enjoying the break from school, Lucky made sure they were still practicing their math, reading, writing, and English. They are ready to share everything they’ve learned and done over their break with their teachers and friends, including their new soccer moves and piano skills.

Providing the best possible educational experience for each of our children is a high priority for us. We truly believe that by investing in their education we are giving them the opportunity to become successful adults.

If you would like to invest in our children’s future by helping them receive a quality education, please consider becoming a monthly sponsor today or giving a one-time educational donation. Thank you for investing in our kids.