My beloved Stephanie Garcia, big sister of my beloved “Miss Belize,” brought up an English grade from 54 to 74 in six weeks at St. Ignatius High School.
TO THOSE WHO have donated this school year to finance Stephanie Garcia’s first year of high school, I can tell you that she continues to excel.
For those blog newcomers not familiar with Stephanie’s educational needs, I started a GoFundMe fund for her last year, explaining her background and needs in detail.
Stephanie and her high-school principal Miss Yvette pictured together at mass at the Catholic high school.
I’ll share more about her story below.*
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STEPH IS WELL INTO the second semester now at St. Ignatius High School, having finished the first semester in January with at least a 3.3 grade point average.
I say at least that, because school administrators still weren’t able to correct a 65 on her report card in a “life skills” lab. The lab students learn to write formal letters and resumes, and update school newsletters and fliers about life skills and such as that on a computer. (I know, the irony of a computer glitch in a computer lab.)
Stephanie finished her most challenging subject, English A, with a 74. That’s an impressive grade considering that she started the last six weeks with a big fat failing 54.
I’ve always said that Stephanie, the 15-year-old sister of my 4-year-old adoptive daughter Paulita (Miss Belize) McKay, is doggedly determined to get her high school diploma.
An overwhelming number of Belizeans, even the brightest kids, leave school at age 13 or 14 because they don’t have the money for a high school education.
Mind you . . . there is no free public schooling in Belize whatsoever. There are costs for everything from school uniforms to pencils, pens, books and extracurricular activities galore.
And certainly no free milk, much less lunch.
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WHAT MAKES STEPH’S STORY so inspiring, I think, is that her mom spent seven years working housekeeping jobs at resorts on San Pedro island during Stephanie’s and her brother Felix’s formative years.
Felix, Stephanie, my daughter Paulita McKay and mom Lourdes at their home on Christmas morn.
Steph and Felix were raised in their early years here in San Ignacio by their grandmother, who had a handful of years of education, spoke only Spanish, and thought school was a waste of time. When I first started tutoring the two kids five years ago, they could barely read English and struggled even with the formal Spanish taught in schools here.
While Felix has come a long way, I doubt seriously he’ll qualify for high school. But then, I thought the same about Stephanie less than two years ago before the lights in her mind finally starting shining bright. So I’m not giving up on the boy either.
I’m certain, though, that college is in Stephanie’s future.
For now, donations are welcome year-round for her high school fund — and much appreciated.
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* Here is the GoFundMe link.
Please know, however, that I have a Pay Pal account, which I have found most contributors prefer to GoFundMe which takes a significant fee out of every dollar donated.
* For more information about Stephanie or how to make a donation, feel free to email me at revpaulmckay@gmail.com.
Steph and a classmate in their traditional mestizo dresses at Culture Day last year at St. Ignatius High School
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