New 2015 Scholarship Students in Xeabaj

Text and Photos by Amy Scheuren

Pop Wuj maintains a scholarship group in Xeabaj that includes 40 students.  The students range from primary school to high school.  This year, we welcomed eight new students to the Xeabaj scholarship group and one returning student.  Taking advantage of the mid-year school break, we invited the students and their families to Pop Wuj last week.

The eight new scholarship students in Xeabaj

Carmencita talked to the group about the rules and expectations in the scholarship group and then we held individual interviews with the students and their parents.

Carmencita and I used K'iche'/Spanish translators for the meeting and the individual interviews as most of the families in Xeabaj only speak K'iche'.

Lorenzo, translating to K'iche'

Carmencita interviewing a student and his mother

Because Xeabaj is so isolated and difficult to travel to, we will hold the next scholarship meeting with them in August.  All families will be expected to attend the meeting.

The new students and their families