In this part of Honduras, every accomplishment is worthy of celebration. On May 18, fourteen kindergarten students received their diplomas in the first graduation ceremony for the Frontier Bilingual School of Intibucá in Camasca, Honduras. In just its first year, the bilingual school has received accolades from the local community and from national educators.
The bilingual school is the first of its kind in the rural Honduras frontier. It provides the indigenous population, many of whose families live on less than two dollars a day, with a high-quality bilingual education. The school plans to add a grade each year as the students advance.
The 100 person-strong crowd and the leaders in attendance demonstrated the significance of this initiative in the Honduras frontier region. Shoulder to Shoulder President Wayne Waite, representatives from the Honduran Ministry of Education, and the mayor of Camasca attended and spoke during the celebration. The ceremony was played on national television in the days following graduation, further emphasizing the significance of this seemingly small accomplishment.
At the ceremony, the students, faculty, and community of Camasca expressed their gratitude to Shoulder to Shoulder and the Good Shepherd Community of Cincinnati for believing in the school and for helping make their dreams a reality. Shoulder to Shoulder director of Education Profesora Iris Villanueva told the crowd: “With this initiative, we have provided a beacon of hope for children in this region and set a precedent for others to follow elsewhere in the country.”
Click the links to learn more about the bilingual school, our scholarship programs, and how you can help.
