Special delivery!

The start of a new school year brought smiles to so many faces last month. And Global Learning Exchange Initiative (GLXiⓇ) added to the joy by delivering additional classroom supplies to our participating teachers and students!

Notebooks, planners, bond paper, construction paper blocks, pencils, erasers, whiteboards and markers – you name it! Big blue bins were filled to the brim with practical materials that will help bring our innovative teaching methodologies to life.

These supply drops are a special treat each year because they are a tangible reminder of the impact that our program is making in Guatemalan classrooms.

There’s little that compares to seeing an eager teacher or student open their classroom gifts, excited to see what new learning opportunities await.

“I’m most excited about the individual whiteboards and markers because they help make my lessons more interactive,” said Ronald Alberto Hernández Trujillo, a teacher at EOUM Aldea Agujitas in San José Pinula, Jalapa.

“The students enjoy participating, and it’s a great way to keep everyone engaged in real time.”

GLXI TEACHERS EMBRACE NEW SUPPLIES

GLXi teacher Alma Carolina Velásquez, at EOUN Antonia Estrada Monzón in Quetzaltenango, said having access to the new supplies makes it easier to explain concepts clearly and keep her classroom organized.

The markers and whiteboards are already “a huge success” during group activities in the classroom of GLXi teacher Dora Linda Rivera Rodríguez, at EORM Cantón Los Ángeles in Aldea San Luis, San Marcos.

"The students are more involved, and it’s helping them grasp new concepts faster,” she explained.

*School supplies donated to each GLXi-certified teacher.*

Things like pencils and paper are not always adequately supplied in Guatemalan classrooms, which often means students are asked to share or make do with what they have.

Guatemalan teachers are always very resourceful in finding other ways to give all children the same opportunities, from using recycled materials to asking parents for donations – but that has its limits. And support from the Ministry of Education is not always consistent.

This is particularly true in some of the more underserved regions in Guatemala.

That’s where GLXi is proud to step in, using unrestricted donations from donors.

“The delivery of these school supplies is essential for implementing our programs and reinforces GLXi's commitment to education in Guatemala’s public schools,” said Jaime Vielman, GLXi’s Executive Director. “In communities where access to basic learning materials is limited, these resources help teachers and students create more dynamic and effective classrooms. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we are providing children with the tools they need to learn, grow, and build a better future.”

GLXI SUPPLIES REACH TEACHERS AND STUDENTS

As GLXi staff and volunteers criss-crossed Guatemala during the first week of February, delivering one blue bin after another, the appreciation expressed by teachers and students was heartwarming.

GLXi’s program and resources support around 45 teachers across 23 public schools in Guatemala. These schools are distributed across 8 regions: Guatemala, Sacatepéquez, Jalapa, San Marcos, Quetzaltenango, Alta Verapaz, Quiché, and Zacapa.

Directly benefiting are more than 1,600 children.

*Students offer their thanks for the school supplies.*

A child with materials gets excited about learning, while a child without becomes discouraged and eventually, disinterested in the classroom.

"I feel so grateful and excited to have these supplies,” said teacher Marta Lidia Xiquín at EORM Centro América in Sacatepéquez. “It means a lot to us as teachers and to our students because it makes learning easier and more engaging.”

You can help. Donate to GLXi here.