Jocelyn attended elementary at St. Hilda's Anglican School. She is interested in furthering her education beyond high school, and has also previously expressed interest in becoming a business secretary. Please pray that, with God's help, Jocelyn will find her path. Read previous letters from Jocelyn to the Cathedral's Belize Mission Committee here, here, and here. You can watch her graduation ceremony on YouTube. Jocelyn's name is announced at the 47 minute mark.
This year, the Belize Missions Committee has used contributions from the Cathedral congregation to provide scholarships to four students enrolled in high school. In Belize, the average age at which a child leaves school is 13 years old, because of the prohibitive costs of high school tuition. Unemployment in the country is high, there are many large single-parent families, and almost half of Belizeans live below the poverty line. In 2010, Cathedral mission team members established a high school scholarship program which has allowed St. Hilda’s students to apply for a scholarship to continue their education past grade 8. Some of the graduates supported by the Cathedral have gone on to post-secondary education.
Currently, four students attending high school benefit from Cathedral scholarships. $4000 was sent in August 2020 -- $1000 each, which helps to cover the cost of tuition, books and other required materials. The 2020-2021 scholarship students are: Jocelyn Herrera, Grade 12; Jenniah Tillett, Grade 11; Gian Myvette, Grade 10; and Edvin Perez, Grade 9.
This past year has been a challenging one for students across the globe, and we pray that our sponsored students will be guided by the Holy Spirit in their lives and in their studies.
Donations towards the Cathedral's efforts in Belize are always appreciated, and are especially welcome after this year of pandemic in which the Missions Committee has not been able to hold a fundraiser. You may donate and receive a charitable tax receipt by using an offering envelope marked "Belize" or by making an online donation. Funds will be used to support St. Hilda's Anglican School (elementary) and the high school scholarship program.