Here are some photos of a  variety of activities in the Instituto Diversificado (the senior high school) in Chaquijya in 2025. There are 3 grade levels with a total of 42 students in this school

The school year has just finished for these students — the school year goes from January to December in Guatemala.

1. Parents and teachers met to discuss plans and activities for the second term. Many of these parents would have no or only minimal education themselves, and many are illiterate, but it is a community school where the parents are importantly involved. (Both the community and parents also make financial contributions to the school.)

2. Students in their final year (level 6) had been divided into two groups to work on a community problem and they are making their presentation to the other group.

3. A presentation to the classes from outside professionals.

4. Each family was given 20 young trees to plant and the students had to give a report to the school and the organization afterwards. 

5. The modern equipment used for the community and student work is thanks to donations from ICO.

6. The celebration of Teachers Day where teachers are shown appreciation, not just for their work with the students, but for their work in the whole community. The principal said that this is a great moral booster for the staff.

It is held in a new open-air gathering space which was partly paid for by our ICO Initiative. They have no large interior spaces so in the past all these meetings and activities had to be held outside, usually in very hot sun! This roof has made a big difference to the school.

We are really impressed by the level of work that these students undertake. It is due to the donations from our ICO initiative, which helps with equipment and well-qualified and specialty teachers, that the high schools are able to exist in Chaquijya