By Elena Laswick | Director of Communications
In December, twelve-year-old Yenzi completed her 7th-grade prep course at Colegio Horizontes, celebrating the culmination of five months of twice-weekly intensive math and literacy classes which took place after her half day of public school in the mornings. But this milestone is just the latest, and one of many to come, in her journey with Limitless Horizons Ixil, which began eight years ago in our Limitless Knowledge Community Library.
At age four, Yenzi learned to read with the help of Community Library Director David Imul, catapulting her ahead of many students three times her age who often graduate from elementary school with a first grade or lower reading level. Since Yenzi’s family of eight didn’t have books at home, the Community Library became her learning space, her playground, and her doorway to imagination.
In addition to early literacy, the library was there to support Yenzi with her homework during elementary school, an economic relief for her single mother who struggled to pay for the craft supplies schoolwork so often demands in Guatemala. Plus, the library provided Yenzi with math and science learning throughout elementary school and was the first place she ever got to look through a microscope!
Just last year at the library, Yenzi learned of the opportunity to join Colegio Horizontes. As the youngest of her six siblings, Yenzi will not be the first in her family to continue her education beyond 6th grade. However, her middle and high school experience will be a far cry from what her older siblings experienced at local public schools, starting with her 7th grade prep classes.
This math and literacy reinforcement is critical in a country where less than 30% of 6th graders meet learning standards in math and less than 4% meet grade-level literacy standards. These five months were also a chance for Yenzi and her peers to to experience the school culture of Colegio Horizontes for the first time: learning about our hygiene routines, discovering what mentorship looks like, practicing our unique school cheer, and beginning to feel part of a supportive community that believes in them.
“I feel like here we learn so much more than I did at my old school. I have already learned so many new things. One thing that stands out are life skills lessons like ‘empowered voice,’” says Yenzi.
She also shared how striking the environment felt compared to her current school: “My first thought was that Colegio Horizontes is so pretty. I really like it here.”
Your support help ensure students like Yenzi can thrive from their very first storybook, through prep classes, middle and high school, and on to higher education and professional careers.
By Elena Laswick | Director of Communications
By Elena Laswick | Director of Communications
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
