Ms Jane Martinez is the Principal of St. Hilda's School in Belize, and also facilitates the Cathedral scholarship program for graduates of St. Hilda's elementary school. She recently sent an update about our scholarship students: Korey Kelly (grade 12), Caleb Martinez (grade 11), Sylvia Trapp (grade 10), and new scholarship recipient Amalio Revolorio (grade 9). Please keep the high school students, elementary school students, their families and teachers in your prayers.
You can donate to the Belize mission (scholarship program and yearly support for the elementary school) anytime by marking your offering envelope or donating online. This program makes a huge different in many lives, and your support is sincerely appreciated.
Greetings Rebecca,
I pray that this email finds you well. It seems that each year starts with new challenges and I have to share myself in different directions.
Our students have started out well. They are all excited about the new school year, especially Amalio. His mom said that he kept praying that he would get the opportunity to go to high school. His prayers were answered. I got reports that he is the top performer in his class.He is also the class president. Thank you so much for giving him this opportunity.
Silvia also received awards for her performance last school year. I am sharing those with you. I spoke with each recipient and encouraged them to work hard this school year. We are looking forward to great results.
Please express our sincere gratitude to our friends who support us. I cannot explain how much their support means to us. We are eternally grateful that you chose St. Hilda's. This year we have 141 students. Our preschool is in its third year . We recently erected a fence for the safety of the preschoolers. We will be making other improvements soon.
One of our parents was the victim of a house fire last week. The lightning struck her house and everything burned to the ground. Caleb also lost his grandmother at the end of September. She suffered from a heart attack. Please continue to keep us in prayer as we continue to minister to these children. We love you all.
Blessings,
Jane
About the Cathedral's Belize High School Scholarship Program
In Belize, the average age at which a child leaves school is 13 years old, because of the prohibitive costs of tuition for high school. High school is not publicly funded in Belize, and many families do not have the financial ability to pay for their children to attend. Unemployment in the country is high, there are many large single-parent families, and almost half of Belizeans live below the poverty line.
Currently, the congregation of Christ Church Cathedral provides scholarships for four students who would not able to attend high school without support. Each scholarship is $1000 CAD per year, and we currently support one student in each of the four grades of high school. This additional education provides the teenagers with important skills and opportunities which can improve their lives.
The Cathedral has a special relationship with the staff and students of St. Hilda’s Anglican School, an elementary in the rural village of Georgeville. Over two hundred children attend the school, ranging between kindergarten and grade 8, in addition to a recently established preschool.
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 participated in a mission trip to Belize, and hundreds of people in Fredericton have supported the work at St. Hilda's through organizational support, donations and prayers.
In 2010, Cathedral mission team members established a high school scholarship program which has allowed students from St. Hilda’s to apply for a scholarship to continue their education past grade 8. Some of the graduates supported by the Cathedral have continued on to post-secondary education, and all have gained knowledge and experience that will help them in their future.
We are grateful for all who have helped to provide scholarships for these teenagers, and support for programs at the elementary school. Learn more about our mission work in Belize.
You can contribute to the mission in Belize through offering envelopes or donate online.
If you are interested in participating in future endeavors benefiting the students in Belize, please contact the Cathedral Office to connect with members of the Belize mission committee.
