Students Seeking Sponsors

Adan Jose is an excellent student who scores near the top of his class each year. He has a brother who recently graduated from the public school as a teacher and a sister who is still attending. Adan's father owns a moto taxi, which is not a lucrative business, particularly with the economy and tourism at all-time lows, and his mother runs a small pulperia from their home. Although they don't speak English, Adan’s family values education and knows that his English-language education will lead to much better opportunities for him in the future.

As of December 2012, we have found a new full sponsor for Ana Sofia! Thank you!
Ana Sofia is a student with such superior English skills that her teacher wanted her to skip second grade; unfortunately, Ana had to complete the other academic requirements for second grade too. Regardless, she is always eager to practice her English reading and speaking. Perhaps it has helped that her older brother graduated from Mayatan three years ago. Ana's parents recently lost their business and are now trying to start another one. Because of her need and tremendous academic performance, Mayatan wants to increase her scholarship this year. Ana Sofia already has two generous sponsors who cover part of her tuition, but she still needs an additional $512 for her complete scholarship.

Elsa Berenice is not only one of the top-performing students at Mayatan, she is one of the top citizens. She is a nice, outgoing girl who lures you into conversation with her dry sense of humor in which she pretends to be very serious but may be concealing a joke.  She also has top English skills. Because of her good scholarship and citizenship, she claimed the honored position of Honduran flag-bearer and led the Independence Day parade last year. Elsa has two older brothers who also attend Mayatan; one is in 8th grade and the other is an 11th grader in our new high school. The family farms in Santa Rita and sacrifices a lot to provide their children with an English education.

Elsa is an extremely bright, vibrant child who is helpful to her fellow students and the kindergarten teacher. Her older sister, Erika, is a seventh grader at Mayatan. They live in Santa Rita with two other siblings and their mother, who teaches English at a public colegio. In Honduras, schools may run in shifts, and their mother carries three shifts to pay for her children's education. As you can imagine with four children and such a heavy workload, things are difficult. Their mother got a loan from the teacher's association to build a house, which she is working hard to pay off, and having her children's educations secured would help tremendously.

Fanny is a model seventh grader. She is responsible, respectful, and a great example to her peers. For example, Fanny is extremely conscientious about the neatness of her work, always turning in a perfect sheet of paper. As you’d expect, she is very organized too. An inquisitive girl, Fanny asks a lot of questions in class. She gets along very well socially, and she excels in English and reading. Fanny’s father works in a car mechanic’s shop, and her mother is a homemaker. She has a sister at the public school, and Fanny feels very lucky to be able to attend Mayatan thanks to her family’s hard work and the support of the school and its friends.

Fernando is an extremely outgoing student. He is always more than willing to participate and loves to talk about anything, just as long as he's practicing his English. His family is very supportive and always willing to do whatever it takes to help him stay on track at school. He enjoys painting, and in his free time he likes to play with cars. He lives in Copán Ruinas with his parents and sister. His mother is a waitress in a hotel in Copán, and the family needs the support of a scholarship to keep his future bright.

Jonathan is a sweet, smiling second grader. His teachers notice that his cute little glasses make his eyes look big. Jonathan is often quiet but eager to participate in class, and he is meticulous with his schoolwork. He has good handwriting and likes coloring whenever he has the chance. Jonathan’s father works at the gas station in Copán, and his mother works at home as a seamstress. They could really use your help to keep providing their son with the tremendous opportunity of a bilingual education.

In November 2011, we found support for Jose Adelso's scholarship thanks to a generous grant from the Honduran government for students of indigenous backgrounds. This coming year a generous new sponsor, the mother of a former Mayatan teacher, has promised to support all of Jose's academic expenses. Thank you!

Jose lives in El Carrizal, a small village in the hills 3 miles above Copán. His grandmother walks him down the hill to school every day. When he was younger, she would sit and wait for him until school was out. Given the care that his grandmother puts into his education, it is no surprise that he is such a thoughtful student. He’s conscientious about his studies and especially his books, which he carefully protects from weather, wear, and termite damage. In fact, he loves books so much that he wanted to have a Library Week t-shirt, but didn’t have enough money to purchase one. Undeterred, he carved wooden toys himself and sold them to raise the balance. Jose has a sponsor that covers part of his costs: books, registration, fees, and a part of his tuition. He needs support for meals and the rest of his tuition from someone who cares about students the way he cares about books.

As of December 2012, we have found a new full sponsor for Karledi! Thank you!

Karledi lives in a poor hamlet outside of Copán called Ricon del Buey (Ox's Corner). Her father, Tulio, is a moto-taxi driver, which is a poor living. She is an only child, and her mother, Fátima, has great aspirations for her. Fátima is a community leader. She's worked as a waitress, but recently finished her high school diploma in administration, which she hopes will lead to better work. Both parents are very involved in Karledi's education. They believe in hard work and hard studying and also that, with education, everything is possible. Tulio taught himself some English to help his work with tourists, and he's proud that his daughter has the benefit of learning the language in school and being prepared for a brighter future. Both her parents and the Mayatan School would be very pleased to have donor support of Karledi's scholarship.

Leonardo is a dreamer with an aptitude for math and science, not to mention art, which runs in his family. He has good handwriting to match his drawing skills, and he always turns in perfect homework. His father is a woodworker and painter who made many of the signs at Mayatan. Leonardo’s Dad also makes crafts like mirrors, painted frames, and handcrafted boxes to sell at souvenir shops. His mother is a public school teacher in Santa Rita. Leonardo has a sister in third grade, and we’re proud to host two children from this creative family.

Litzy is a charming girl who constantly smiles. Teachers notice that she is a good friend to her peers and a solid student. She was awarded a half-tuition scholarship this year because of the family’s financial situation. Her mother is a waitress in town. Her father was earning money in the U.S., but he came back to stay with the family when the economy turned. Litzy’s dad just got a brand new job in the Hotel Marina Copan working the front desk.

María José is an artistic and free-spirited girl who always has a smile on her face, and she aims to please everyone around her. As a student, she is calm, attentive, and quick to learn. Little can damper her spirits, and one compliment will brighten her spirits for the rest of the day. She lives with her mother and grandparents, who are able to pay for part of her expenses, but she still needs help with her tuition. Her mother is a kindergarten teacher in Quebracho, an aldea north of Copan Ruinas. We’re hoping that the compliments of a sponsor will help to brighten her career at Mayatan.

María José comes from Sesemil, an aldea in the mountains several miles above Copán along very rough roads. The family had to move to Sesesmil because of mother's work as a teacher in Malcote, and to take care of mother's father, who was ailing. Despite the distance and troubles like suffering the loss of two children, her father is involved in María’s education. This support helps her through some tough experiences. María José lives with her grandmother during the week to be closer to school. Everyone is working together to give this bright youngster a good start.

Marlon is an intense soccer player, fun to be around, and a successful student. He lives in Santa Rita, a town about 8 miles from Copán with no bilingual school of its own. Marlon plays the bass drum in the school band, and he had a blast banging out deep percussive rhythms during the Independence Day march. Marlon’s father, who has an auto repair shop, is remarried with more children; he pays what he can towards his son's education, but we’re looking for an enthusiastic sponsor to help Marlon continue his education.

Raul Ernesto is an attentive, driven student who is also quite outgoing. His civic and academic talents make him a natural student leader. He loves sports so much that he is always on good behavior so that he can have the full recess time to play soccer. Raul is new to our scholarship system because of his parents’ financial situation. His mother just had a baby and stays at home to take care of it, and his father lost his primary job, as has happened to many in and around Copán. The family runs a small copy shop, but business is slow business of the economy, and they are struggling to pay their son’s tuition. Raul would make any sponsor proud.

Raul enjoys school immensely, and in return Mayatan students and teachers enjoy him. Raul has been described as the “sweetest, most wonderful boy,” hard-working, always smiling, and has lots of friends. He comes from a poor family, but they work hard to contribute as much as they can to Mayatan every month. The family lives in Santa Rita, where Raul’s father is a chauffeur. Raul is looking for a sponsor who can carry him through primary school and onto the successful secondary career that we know he can have.

Rita is an extremely intelligent girl who works hard in all her classes and is beginning to come into her own. She is a quick reader who loves to go to the library, write in her journal, and share what she's written, which is something that most students of any age find intimidating. Rita suffers from asthma, which is difficult to treat for many families in Copán, but she is overcoming it. Rita’s older sister graduated from Mayatan and is presently attending university in San Pedro Sula. Her mother is a kindergarten teacher, and her father is a bus driver for our school. A student as smart and achieving as Rita, if given the opportunity, will certainly be able to join her sister at university or move on to some other promising future.

Sofia is a bright and enthusiastic student with who lives with her grandparents in town. Don't let her dry sense of humor give you the wrong impression – although she may seem to be very serious at first, her playful teasing of friends and teachers leaves everyone in stitches. Her mother has remarried and lives in Santa Rita now, about 20 minutes away. Sofia's grandparents, who own a pulperia (a food and general store often located in the front room of a home), are deeply involved in her education, giving her the support she needs to succeed at Mayatan. Sofia would also benefit from the support of a sponsor to carry her into secondary school.