Education

The most significant barrier children face to obtaining an education in Honduras is cost. Ten percent of the children never go to school because their parents simply cannot afford it. To help combat the growing need for education, Honduras Outreach, Inc. began an extensive Education Program. The program involves many facets and opportunities for education from the early years of kindergarten to the high school level for those students with the drive and desire to learn. In 2005, 97 kindergartens and elementary schools received school supplies and materials (3394 students), 52 kindergartens and elementary schools have school gardens, 3332 personal hygiene packets were provided for students, 597 children and teachers were provided with school uniforms. In addition to providing services to the public schools and kindergartens in the area, other aspects of the Education Program include the Scholarship Program and the Culuco Schools.

• Scholarship Program enables motivated and qualified students in the Agalta Valley to continue their education beyond the government provided elementary years. Our scholarship program, funded by generous contributions from North American sponsors, supplies tuition, room and board to qualified, deserving students. For the students who must travel from home and live with a sponsor family in another village, Scholarships of $600 per year are provided. For students who are fortunate to live in a village with a school, scholarships for $250 per year are provided. Children are able to attend middle schools and high schools in Gualaco, Juticalpa, San Esteban, and Dos Rios. The program also provides leadership training through workshops and through programs developed and presented by the students. Students who receive these scholarships are required to volunteer for projects both in their home villages and in the communities where they attend school. It’s more than just the in-school experience that adds to their education. The chance to live in a distant place adds a new dimensions to their lives. In 2005, through the generous giving of sponsors, 147 young people received scholarships to attend middle and senior high school. CLICK to download sponsor application
   
• Culuco Schools - In 2001 Honduras Outreach, with the assistance from the North Conference of the United Methodist Church, opened the Aldersgate Elementary School in Culuco. Children from 28 villages near Rancho el Paraiso attend this school. Aldersgate is a state of the art school providing individual classrooms, taught by grade specific teachers, for each grade. Most of the classrooms have approximately 20 students per classroom. These children are able to attend school at no cost to their families. All expenses, including teacher salaries (we do not have any government employed teachers!), tuition, school supplies, text books, uniforms, and a noon day snack. In 2003, Honduras Outreach opened the Hope Middle School for grades 7-9. As with Aldersgate School, each grade has individual classrooms taught by grade specific teachers. There is one 7th grade classroom, two 8the grade classrooms, and two 9th grade classrooms. In addition, there is a separate library, a designated room for Consumer and Family Science, and a computer lab, which is operated via generator. The first graduating class of 2003 graduated nine students – all of whom continued to high school on the Scholarship Program. In 2005 147 children were enrolled in the Aldersgate Elementary school in Culuco and 200 students were enrolled in the Hope Middle School. CLICK to download Culuco application
   
• Kindergarten program - Over the last decade or so, we have helped Hondurans in our area start 40 kindergartens. Our Teacher Training Project gives education professionals from the United States the chance to share techniques and experiences with Honduran teachers. We also have nine mobile libraries, circulating thousands of books in the valley. For many, the libraries have made it possible to read books at home for the first time in their lives. In 2005 5 new kindergartens were started for a total of 40 now operational serving over 770 children. Through our Teacher Training Project we now have 63 trained voluntary kindergarten teachers.