Back to School 2016-17

GETTING 100 STUDENTS READY FOR SCHOOL IS NO SMALL FEAT!!!

Beverly and Jo-Anne begin to buy supplies in April and May for 71 backpacks and shoulder bags.

Our Money Manager Extraordinaire, Beverly, organizes envelopes:

• of information for all the students explaining what is happening on BackPack Day and including the cards they need to order their uniforms and shoes from local stores and the middle school.
• with money to reimburse our 21 COBAY high school students for their registration fees and their books.
• with money to reimburse our 11 CETMAR high school students for their registration fees
• with money to be given to students who attend specialized high schools in Merida.  

NOTE: all students provide receipts for their expenses in order to continue receiving money for subsequent semesters.

Jo-Anne, with Ligia, manages the record of grades from all students ensuring that all grades are in and are current in order for students to receive their envelopes for their uniforms, shoes and money. 

Our Office Administrator Ligia makes sure all the students know to come to the office to pick up these envelopes. 

Director Ben upgraded the 15 computers at the Middle School and the 14 laptops at our office to ensure they are ready when the students return to school. We continue our partnership with the World School of Boston Mass, USA.. They reimburse us for new licenses, software and repair/replacement expenses and we ensure maintenance and development. 

This year, because of graduates from the program and several students who unfortunately dropped out, we have 20 new students for the 2016/17 school year... Most were enrolled by Dorothy and Jo-Anne with the support of Donna and Eva as translators. 

BEFORE 

4 hours later:Ben, Bev, Jo-Anne and Dorothy have filled the bags. 

THE DAY HAS ARRIVED........Saturday August 13th  BACKPACK DAY!!!!!!!!!

Handing in receipts & picking up money from Directors Eva, Bev
and Jo-Anne together with Ligia. 

Professional Photos This Year.... thanks to 
Volunteers Dennis Malone & Lee Rosenberg  

A LULL IN THE ACTIVITY... Students came dressed in their uniforms with their letters for their sponsors to collect their backpacks and socks

Thanks to Director Ben and volunteer Sue Davis for taking care of this.. 

Dorothy will scan and distribute the 100 letters from students to their sponsors for translation by Ligia, Directors Donna and Eva together with volunteer Carla Gilmore. When all are translated Dorothy will send/give both the spanish and english copies to our 78 sponsors

We thank those of you who have said we do not need to translate your letter because you speak spanish. However, we, as directors, need to know what the students are writing  in case we may need to intervene as a program. As you are their "godparent" who is helping them go to school they may tell you something that they do not tell us about.  Yet, it is, on occasion, something we need to know in order to provide program support to them. 

With the involvement of our sponsors and supporters we are once again sending the students off for another school year equipped with what they need.  We will continue to work hard to provide supports as is possible; especially the tutoring many students often need and want but have difficulty finding. 

El Programa de Apoyo Escolar de Chuburná Puerto is proof

 that a village of caring individuals together with dedicated students and their parents can make a difference.