Proyecto Educación Maya 
3. Avenida "A" 1-09, Zona 3
San Antonio Aguas Calientes, Sacatepequez
La Antigua Guatemala
Guatemala, Centroamerica

Newsletter No.11
October 25, 1999

Dear Friends,

As the end of the year is drawing near, it is time for me to give you an update about the "Proyecto Educación Maya". I am happy to share some good news with you on this occasion since two more students will be graduating from vocational school this month. Silvia Salazar has finished her schooling as a bilingual secretary and is now doing her practicum in a company which produces and sells ceramics in Guatemala city. She has already been offered a job in the same company starting next month and is very excited about that. Ludwin Martínez will be graduating in computer sciences and is also doing his practicum at the moment. Two more students have started vocational school this year. Silvia Lopez is studying to be an accountant and Edson Imeldo is a student in marketing. If all goes well they will graduate in two more years. We have three students in middle school and ten students in primary school. Our new student for the year 2000 is 5-year-old Cathy who will be entering kindergarden in her village, San Antonio Aguas Calientes. She is very happy to have found a godmother in the United States who will support her throughout her schooling. 18-year-old Mirna Lucrecia, who after dropping out of school for two years is finally finishing middle school, is looking for a godparent to help her with the costs of vocational school. If anyone would like to help Mirna please let me know.

From left to right: 5-year-old Cathy, 9-year-old Willy, 9-year-old Maylin

Thanks to the fact that education has made modern technology available to our graduates, I have had extensive e-mail contact with Hilda López who is still working as a bilingual secretary in one of Antigua's most prestigious language schools, "Proyecto Linguístico Francisco Marroquín". Hilda's father César has been functioning very successfully as president of P.E.M. and his daughter has kept me informed about the activities of the project. We often consult with each other through e-mail and are able to make decisions much more efficiently since I do not have the privilege of visiting P.E.M. on a yearly basis. César tells me that the project is going well and that the parents and students are all very thankful to you for your generous support. They are very aware what a great opportunity you are giving them since the lot of many other children and adolescents is to spend their time working and selling handicrafts to help support their families.

12-year-old Lily

16-year-old Edson

Although P.E.M. is only helping 17 students at the present moment, the successful example of some of our graduates such as Hilda and also Gregoria Xicay Pichóla (she is working in a government project for rural development) show that P.E.M.'s small-scale efforts during the past six years have born fruit and have been very rewarding for everyone involved.

Finally, the "Proyecto Educación Maya" has had the fortune of receiving the gracious gift of a MacIntosh computer and p rinter from my parents Annie and Viktor Reinhardt. It remains to be seen when this computer will make it to San Antonio; hopefully sometime next year if my husband and I have the chance to go there. As I do at the end of every school year, I would like to remind you that the Guatemalan school year starts in January and that I would like to send the donations to our account in Guatemala early in December. If you would like to send your donations to me at 150 St. Agnes #3, Memphis, TN 38112 it would be very much appreciated. Please make the checks payable to "Proyecto Educación Maya". If you would like to contact me through e-mail, here is my address: [email protected] Thank you again for your continuing and generous support of P.E.M. Without your active interest this project would not exist.

5-year-old Nivea

Best wishes, Catherine Reinhardt

7-year-old Teresa