Fairview teacher Charlotte Ruether will be returning to Belize next month to teach at the newly constructed Ocean Academy High School on the island of Caye Caulker. Visit www.cayecaulkerschool for more information. Pictured above, Ruether, on her last trip to Belize this summer as part of Rotary s Literacy Program.
In August of 2009, I had to opportunity to be part of a Literacy Project in Belize which was sponsored by the Rotary Club. That experience connected me to another challenge that I will be undertaking from January to June. Off from the mainland of Belize are many islands in the Caribbean, one of which is named Caye Caulker. It is a small island inhabited by 1,300 people. Until a year and a half ago, the island never had a high school and the children had to either find weekly accommodations or travel daily by boat to Belize City, a dangerous city, if they were to attend a high school.
About two years ago, two women, one from Texas and one from British Columbia, met and shared their common dream of opening a school there on the island. Things fell into place and after only seven months, they built a school complete with somewhat limited resources but when September 2008 rolled around, 35 students were enrolled in the first high school on the island—Ocean Academy Community High School.
The Belizean government accredited the school, but do not fund it, therefore an annual tuition of $2,500 (U.S.) is required from each student. To put this into perspective, a hard working man will make about $75 per week. The students and the school in general rely on volunteers and donations of any amount from anywhere in the world. As well, the two ladies have put much of their personal resources into this dream and work tirelessly fundraising for this school.
I will be travelling to Belize at the end of December and teach English for the second semester, replacing one of the ladies as she begins her maternity leave. I would like to invite you to read the heart warming circumstances
Source:fairviewpost.com
No comments:
Post a Comment