WORK TRIP TO HONDURAS - Rehab of New Dawn Grammar School 3/24/24 - 3/30/24

The New Dawn Grammar School is located on the outskirts of Choloma, Honduras. It has 310 students and was in very poor shape when we first visited in December 2023. We chose to help this school because it possessed strong leadership and staff and demonstrated the commitment of the parents and students to improving it.

Perhaps most inspiring was the decision to add three grades to this school. Education is only mandatory until 6th grade. When children complete 6th grade, they are, on average, 12 years old and not equipped to enter the workforce. To continue their education, they must enroll in private school. The decision to add grades 7, 8, and 9 to this school was made and funded by the parents.

The school had made great progress in building the new classrooms but was short on funds. In addition, there was no money to improve the existing classrooms, which had desks beyond repair and floors so full of potholes that it was difficult to level them. Accordingly, we provided funds for 100 new desks and materials such as concrete, cinder blocks, windows, and doors. What was so inspiring and gratifying was that as soon as these materials arrived at the school, the parents immediately put them to use. By the time the children returned to school in February 2024, much of the new construction had been completed and they had been able to repair all the floors with new concrete.

In December, we had promised to return to Choloma with a group of Americans who would help with the final stages of rehab during the Holy Week week vacation when we would have access to the school while the kids were away. Six American adults traveled to Honduras to help paint the interior and exterior of the entire school. John Dewane as well as Desiree and Mason Maltais had been sponsoring orphan families in Honduras for several years. Two of John’s children and 3 of the Maltais’ children, all teenagers, joined us for the week to help with the project. In addition, the school principal, teachers, parents, and 7th, 8th, and 9th grade students joined the workforce, making a total crew of 30 workers. With this dedicated crew, we painted the entire school, inside and out, in record time. Before and after photos and crew photos are shown below.

A group of 30 workers comprised of American volunteers, the principal and her husband, teachers, parents and 7th - 9th grade students painted the school inside and out in temperatures exceeding 105 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Before and after photos of the exterior front entrance to the school. Colors for the project were mandated by the Federal Government. The principal was given several color options to select from. 

Before and after of the building exterior and the stage.

Before and after photos of an old classroom. Notice that a new cement floor has been installed to replace the old floor with holes and cracks.

Every day the parents cooked us a fabulous authentic Honduran lunch. This day we were served an amazing Honduran pork roast.