It's graduation time in Belize!

The Principal of St. Hilda's Anglican School, Ms. Jane Martinez, recently sent a few photos from year-end activities, and a video of students singing during a worship service in the school's chapel for the Standard 6 (grade 8) graduates. Watch it below.

St. Hilda’s, an elementary school in the rural village of Georgeville, educates approximately 200 children between kindergarten and grade 8. Christ Church Cathedral has had a special relationship with the staff and students for many years. Cathedral teams have travelled to Belize five times: in 2005, 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2018. Over 60 Cathedral members ranging in age from 15 to 79 have gone on a mission trip to Belize, and hundreds of people in Fredericton have supported the work through organizational support, donations and prayers. As part of the Cathedral's ongoing financial commitment to St. Hilda's, we send funds each year to contribute to ongoing needs for the students and teachers.

These Standard 6 (grade 8) students have completed their final year of public education in Belize.

In addition to providing support for the elementary school, the Cathedral provides scholarships for selected St. Hilda's graduates. In Belize, the average child leaves the education system after Standard 6 (equivalent to Canadian grade 8), when they are approximately 13 years old. High tuition costs prevent many children from attending high school, because 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.

Please pray for the students and teachers at St. Hilda's elementary school, our high school scholarship students, and their families. Contributions towards the Belize mission are welcome and appreciated. You may give and receive a charitable tax receipt by making an online donation or submitting a donation marked 'Belize' through the Cathedral office or offering plate.

Your support makes a big difference in the lives of these children!