Annual Reports

Annual Report 2014-15

22/7/2015

Annual Review

This year’s annual review is a celebration of the Tenth Anniversary of Study Guatemala – the school which has now been providing free and outstanding education, for children from Zone 5, in Guatemala City. Zone 5 is one of the most deprived and dangerous areas in the city.

This annual report is especially exciting as it tracks the journey of the last ten years photographically, giving some small reminders of what has been achieved.

We report on the continued financial support offered to the school and the students by individual sponsorships, donations, and some of the great fund-raising achievements of the year.

In August 2014 Jane Aitman, Chair of the Trustees, undertook a site visit to the school which coincided with the 10th anniversary celebrations. She was inspired by the achievements of the school and the pupils and moved by the esteem in which the school is held by the pupils, their families and the wider community.

The year has marked the achievement of the complete build of the third floor – at the time of writing the final painting has yet to be done, but everything else is finished!

The report will also look at the continued academic achievements of the students, (Appendix A) and finally some of the great careers that the school has launched.

Phil and Sue - the first stage

Lessons in the corridor

The faithful scooter

Supporters' report 2012-2013

6/4/2013

Review
The last year for Study Guatemala and El Liceo Britanico Guatemalteco has been one of consolidation and continuation to achieve academic excellence and offer free access to education for those children with most limited resources.

Annual report 2012

26/6/2012

Review
The past year of Study Guatemala, known locally as El Liceo Britanico Guatemalteco, has been one marked with much sadness for all of us, but much progress for the school.

The inspiration and initiative for creating Study Guatemala came from Phil Melling. It was the enormous devotion, tenacity and extraordinary imagination of Phil, together with his wife Sue, which led to the birth of a school – such a wonderful achievement. It was with very much sadness we learned of Phil’s death in November 2011. Phil left behind him a great legacy. Phil’s death is a great loss to Study Guatemala and it would be impossible to fill the enormous gap left by Phil’s death but the Trustees are determined, together with the help and commitment of all our supporters, to ensure that the future of Study Guatemala is safeguarded.

This year’s report, therefore, covers all that has happened over the past year – a year which has been one of great progress and achievement in the life of El Liceo.

Join us on our Volcano Trek - 15-24th February 2008

1/1/2008

The trip will be organised by The Ultimate Travel Company (Charity Challenges) in London.

Our itinerary and application form are available on this web site. As well as our trek into the mountains we will also include a visit to the school in Zone 5, Guatemala City. The target for each person to fundraise will be £2,600, plus a deposit of £199.

2008 update

1/1/2008

The intrepid trek covered 160 km at an altitude of around 9,000 feet and began outside the town of Quetzaltenango. From there we walked through the villages and volcanoes of the Alaska region in Western Guatemala until reaching the village of Panajachel on the shores of Lake Atitlan. We did not hike on a conventional trekking route and camp sites were arranged for us in villages which supplied us with food and facilities along the way.

Everyone completed the main itinerary and some of us even managed the San Pedro Volcano in the foothill of Lake Atitlan after a 4 o’clock morning start with our guide, Ivan Morales. At the start of the trek we were strangers to each other but along the way - through blind panic, or the fear of waking each other up by snoring too loudly – we became firm friends.

2006-2007 update

1/4/2007

Levels of commitment are very encouraging. From 2005-2006 we lost only one student, and then unavoidably, when the family decided to move to another province. In the final examinations in 2005, which are externally graded, the average mark in Grade 1 was 80% (A grade) and in Grade 2 70.5% (B grade). Only 3 students in the school got average marks below 70% and each of these took their resits later in the year and passed.

In August 2005 the school was re-validated. In November, the Director, Eduardo Espel, received news from the Supervisor of the Ministry of Education that our school had been selected as one of the best educational establishments in Zone 5. We were congratulated on the progress we had made in just 2 years and received a special commendation for Academic Achievement and Pupil Behaviour. Given the background of many of our students this achievement is a remarkable testimony to the hard work and professionalism of our teachers.