Congratulations to GLXi's 2024 Teacher Training Graduates!
“A heartfelt thanks to GLXi for such a wonderful program, and to those who teach us, for their patience and support in helping us learn new methods and practical teaching strategies for our classrooms. I congratulate the 2024 cohort for persevering in the program, working hand in hand for the education of our country, and being present at this graduation ceremony.”
Congratulations to our most recent class of graduating teachers!
On Saturday, January 18, we held our virtual graduation ceremony for teachers who participated in Global Learning Exchange Initiative’s 2024 “Open Books, Open Minds” teacher training. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome these teachers into our program!
Teachers of the 2024 Graduating Class joined together for a virtual celebration on Jan. 18
Each year, the graduation ceremony is a chance to highlight the power of education and our collective commitment to transforming teaching in Guatemala. This year’s event, which celebrated 45 new GLXiⓇ teachers, hailing from eight different regions of Guatemala, was no exception.
Fourteen of these teachers are in first-grade classrooms, nine are in second grade classrooms, six teach in third-grade classrooms and five are at the pre-primary level – showcasing the reach and diversity of our program.
Many come from rural and indigenous communities such as Sacatepéquez, Jalapa, San Marcos, Quetzaltenango, Baja Verapaz, Zacapa and Quiché – geographical areas that we have been trying to target with our program, based on need and an assessment of where our program can have the greatest impact.
For a special touch, we chose one of our graduating teachers, Kellyn Lisbeth Oseida, to serve as master of ceremonies.
She guided the event with professionalism and warmth, as we honored all of those who graduated, along with a select few who deserved special recognition.
Graduation Honors
As has become a tradition, we selected four teachers to present the digital children’s stories that they created as a part of their training.
These stories, notable for their creativity and content, were:
First Place: Victoria and the Magical Huipil by Betsabé Vicente
Second Place: Ixkik’s Dream by Iris Griselda Cárcamo
Third Place: The Kite by Mercedes del Pilar Huertas
Fourth Place: Heart of the Jar by Salvador Isaías Sisay
The teacher books reflect a commitment to using creativity and storytelling as educational tools.
The teachers can also bring them back to their classrooms as they begin to implement their GLXi training. Our hope is that students will be inspired by these unique, personal stories that were created by their teachers, and maybe also motivated to create their own.
The graduation ceremony also served as an opportunity to give special congratulations to those teachers who achieved the highest grades in their training:
Kellyn Lisbeth Oseida, with an impressive 100%.
Yeimi Luz Pérez, Evelin Vega, and Marta Camey, with 98%.
Karla Lorenz and Gloria Pérez, with 97%.
Nissa Fernanda Mejía, with 95%.
Marta Lidia Xiquín, with 93%.
GLXi Executive Director Jaime Vielman was joined by our Director of Education, Dr. Juan Fernando Porres, and Impact Coordinator Andrea Tumax, to offer words of motivation and praise for the training process, and for the graduates, who are seen as agents of change in their communities.
They invited the graduates to remain a part of GLXi, and to continue working together for the education of Guatemalan children in their classrooms.
Graduating the “Open Books, Open Minds” program is a significant achievement and we offer congratulations to the Class of 2024, for opening the doors to a brighter future for Guatemala’s children and the joy of reading!
Each teacher represents a beacon of light for their students, demonstrating that education not only transforms lives but also builds futures filled with possibilities. May this achievement be the beginning of an inspiring journey, where students' dreams are as great as their teachers' passion.
“We are grateful for the program, for the strategies and methodologies that we are already implementing in our classes. Our children are excited to have books and a special time to read them. We thank GLXi for thinking of us and providing opportunities to improve the education of every child attending our schools.”
“...For our communities, it is important to have access to training opportunities and materials for our children. Thank you for all the work you do to bring this support to our classrooms.”
You can help support the next class of teachers by donating to GLXi here.
