Scholarship Program
Sharing the Dream runs a student sponsorship program that provides scholarships to promising children who lack the financial support to pursue their studies. The scholarship provides students with the necessary resources and support to achieve their dreams and to eventually become leaders in their communities. Currently we support 26 students from primary school to high school in three communities.
In order to receive a scholarship, students must show academic promise, have supportive parents and demonstrate a financial need. As a scholarship student they must maintain an 80% grade point average in all of their classes, attend weekly tutoring sessions, participate in student workshops, and participate in the Reading Circle. In addition, we encourage accountability for education, asking that that students write letters to their sponsors, provide their own budget for school supplies, and complete 72 volunteer hours per year. Their parents are required to attend monthly meetings and School for Parents workshops. Read more about these activities below.
Students in Sharing the Dream’s Scholarship Program have demonstrated increased confidence, improved their Spanish fluency, and are more self-assured around others. These qualities will push them further toward their dreams.
Sponsor a Student
For more information on the student sponsorship program or to sponsor a student, please contact our Executive Director, Lauren, at [email protected]
In order to continue providing the individualized attention that each student deserves, we limit the number of scholarships that we give out each year. Luckily, all of our scholarship students have a sponsor in 2023. However, there are many other ways to support students in Guatemala, such as supporting the Reading Circle, career workshops with the scholarship students, or sponsoring school supplies for students in one of our rural partner schools.
A scholarship provides:
Annual sponsorship costs:
- One year of tuition
- School supplies
- Transportation expenses
- Extra expenses, such as project expenses
- Access to the STDG tutoring center, computer, and internet
- An opportunity to pursue their goals.
Annual sponsorship costs:
- $200 for primary school
- $300 for secondary school
- $500 for high school
One-on-One Tutoring
As part of their scholarship, Sharing the Dream's scholarship students receive a one-on-one tutoring session each week. The students depend on their weekly tutoring sessions, as many of them don’t have anyone at home who can help with their schoolwork. The tutoring sessions help the students to build the foundation that they need in order to be successful in their schooling. Students are encouraged to bring in classwork that they don't understand or need extra help on. The tutoring sessions also provide opportunities to work on core skills necessary for academic success, such as reading and writing.
Sharing the Dream employs trained local tutors in each of the three communities where we provide scholarships. The tutors speak the local language, allowing them to communicate with the parents in the language they feel most comfortable in, as well as to help the students with language homework. Oftentimes, the tutors become much more than just someone who can help the students with classwork that they don’t understand; they become someone that the students can turn to if they are having personal problems, such as bullying at school.
For just $75, you can provide a week of tutoring in one of our partner communities.
As part of their scholarship, Sharing the Dream's scholarship students receive a one-on-one tutoring session each week. The students depend on their weekly tutoring sessions, as many of them don’t have anyone at home who can help with their schoolwork. The tutoring sessions help the students to build the foundation that they need in order to be successful in their schooling. Students are encouraged to bring in classwork that they don't understand or need extra help on. The tutoring sessions also provide opportunities to work on core skills necessary for academic success, such as reading and writing.
Sharing the Dream employs trained local tutors in each of the three communities where we provide scholarships. The tutors speak the local language, allowing them to communicate with the parents in the language they feel most comfortable in, as well as to help the students with language homework. Oftentimes, the tutors become much more than just someone who can help the students with classwork that they don’t understand; they become someone that the students can turn to if they are having personal problems, such as bullying at school.
For just $75, you can provide a week of tutoring in one of our partner communities.
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Reading Circle
Sharing the Dream believes that academic success is much more than moving on to the next grade. In order to truly be successful in school, students must be able to read and write well. Sharing the Dream runs Reading Circles with the scholarship students to help them to develop the reading, writing and critical thinking skills necessary to be successful both in school as well as outside of school. The Reading Circle also helps the students to fosters a love of reading. For just $50, you can sponsor a Reading Circle. |
Students participate in an activity during a Reading Circle
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School for Parents Workshops
In November 2020, Sharing the Dream undertook a needs evaluation to help guide our scholarship program. One outcome was the disconnect between parents and teachers in Guatemala. Most of the parents of our scholarship students didn't have the opportunity to go to school. They are unfamiliar with the school system and unsure how to intervene if they have a concern. The School for Parents aims to bridge that disconnect and provide parents with the tools that they need in order to help their children be successful in school.
The School for Parents is a monthly workshop for the parents of Sharing the Dream's scholarship students. By partnering with area organizations and entities, we are able to bring local experts in as workshop teachers. The workshop topics are guided by the parents. The parents participate in the workshop and can get their questions answered in a safe, judgement-free space.
You can sponsor a School for Parents workshop for just $50.
In November 2020, Sharing the Dream undertook a needs evaluation to help guide our scholarship program. One outcome was the disconnect between parents and teachers in Guatemala. Most of the parents of our scholarship students didn't have the opportunity to go to school. They are unfamiliar with the school system and unsure how to intervene if they have a concern. The School for Parents aims to bridge that disconnect and provide parents with the tools that they need in order to help their children be successful in school.
The School for Parents is a monthly workshop for the parents of Sharing the Dream's scholarship students. By partnering with area organizations and entities, we are able to bring local experts in as workshop teachers. The workshop topics are guided by the parents. The parents participate in the workshop and can get their questions answered in a safe, judgement-free space.
You can sponsor a School for Parents workshop for just $50.
