As we move towards completion of our 4th year of providing student scholarships in Belize, we are pleased to provide you, our friends, with this update. As you may know, education is not free to students and their families in Belize as it is in the U.S., Canada and many other nations. Many children living in poverty are not able to get even a basic education. 

In 2013 the staff of St. George's Caye Resort came together to start a scholarship fund to help children in their home villages attend school. In August 2014 we proudly shared about the Successful First Year for St. George’s Scholarship Winner, and then a year later shared that the program had expanded to help 6 students for the 2015-2016 school year!  Read more: Scholarships for Higher Education in Belize  

MEET THE STUDENTS WE SUPPORT

We are thrilled to share that we now support 11 high school students and one elementary age student through our program, which is fully operated by our incredible staff.  All candidates were vetted for ability, motivation and need – and they are now very thankful for their educational opportunity. 

Here is a little bit about the twelve students we currently support:

Recently we've had guests ask, "Why do you offer a Teacher Bonus?"

So here is Cap'n Ron to elaborate on why education is so important to him and St. George's Caye Resort.

The value of a good education is universally acknowledged in the western world – opportunity for better jobs, ability to make better life decisions, more awareness of the world, more understanding of and compassion for others, etc. Sometimes, however, people who are fortunate enough to have access to quality education take it for granted. We sometimes don’t see, or we forget that a significant number of people don’t have this advantage.

I ask myself, “What if the next Jonas Salk, Martin Luther King, Albert Einstein or Nelson Mandela never has the chance to achieve anything because she or he did not have the opportunity for education?” Our world is so much the poorer for not having met the great achievers, the great potential contributors who do not get to blossom due to a lack of educational opportunity.

Students Must Pay to Attend High School in Belize

In the United States, Canada and Western Europe, education is considered a right and governments take responsibility for making education available. In Belize, education is provided for everyone through the elementary level only. Beyond elementary, there is a cost – for tuition, books, uniforms, as well as transportation and meals – that is beyond the reach of a significant percentage of the population. The result is that thousands of young people never get the chance to attend middle school, high school and beyond. Statisticians will tell us that there are great achievers in that group of uneducated people who just didn’t have the opportunity.

Scholarship Program at St. George's Caye Resort

As a successful private island resort, St. George’s is dedicated to helping identify the achievers and supporting their education – hoping to see more young people achieve their potential. Our staff not only takes pride in showing guests the Blue Hole, Mayan ruins and other jungle adventures, the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and other Belize landmarks, but they also fund and operate a scholarship program, currently putting six students through school in Belize.

Scholarships for Belize Higher Education

One of the ways we show our gratitude and reinvest in Belize is through educational scholarships for students who would not be able to attend school otherwise.

In 2013-14 we sponsored one young lady - paying her school tuition, books, transportation and food - allowing her to attend high school. Many students in Belize stop attending school in 6th form (or 8th grade) because high school fees and books are often too expensive for families to afford. All money to support her was given by the staff of St. George's and matched in donations by the management and owner.

Read first year scholarship recipients letter thanking staff.

When you stay with us, you’re staying at a socially responsible resort. We are stewards for the reef, ocean, and natural resources that surround our island. We provide Belizeans with stable jobs and a living wage. We treat each other and our guests with respect. And everyone at St. George’s Caye Resort shares a commitment to giving back to our community.

Our Belizean staff sponsors educational scholarships in their home villages; resort manager Barry is an active participant in the local Rotary; and Cap’n Ron joined the board for Full Basket Belize, a nonprofit that awards scholarships and community grants and our gift shop supports local artisans. We also regularly donate resort stays to charity auctions across the US. Read on to learn more about how we’re giving back – and how you can help.

ST. GEORGE’S SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

We take good care of our employees and, in turn, they share their prosperity with their home villages. In 2014 we launched a formal scholarship program to support high school students from the villages our employees call home (in Belize, free education ends after 8th grade). Thanks to the participation of every single member of our staff, we’ve expanded this program from offering one scholarship a year to three. Read about the first year for our first scholarship recipient in the Island Blog.

Successful First Year for St. George’s Scholarship Winner 

FULL BASKET BELIZE

Cap’n Ron, owner of St. George’s Caye Resort, has been visiting and doing business in Belize for more than fifteen years – and in that time has supported students and young entrepreneurs. To broaden his impact, Cap’n Ron joined the board of directors for Full Basket Belize(FBB), a volunteer-run nonprofit that provides scholarships and community grants countrywide. At times we run specials where we donate a percentage of our proceeds to FBB—you can join our email list to hear about these opportunities. Or at any time visit www.fullbasketbelize.org to learn more and make a contribution.