8 years have passed. Eight years filled with stories, examples and hope for this educational community on the shores of Lake Atitlan. Thanks to the efforts of Joshua and Courtney Wilson, founders of Escuela Caracol, and the dedication of all the professionals, families and students who have been part of our family, today Escuela Caracol is a model of educational renewal for the Republic of Guatemala.
To celebrate this special moment, we prepared an anniversary full of fun, entertainment and surprises. We started the morning by honoring our roots with a Mayan sacred fire ceremony. Ingrid Arévalo, Mayan spiritual guide and part of our educational community, led the offering. Thereafter all grades, kindergarten through sixth, presented to the audience their shows of art and movement in our palapa. Special mention for students in fifth and sixth grade, who received a standing ovation with their guitar playing.
Following the presentations we had a delicious snack. All families contributed with something to share in community, and our kitchen was commissioned to organize in order to serve all attendees. And after the delicious snack, which included toasts, beans, guacamole, hummus and pastries, it was time for family games, including a rally and a volleyball game between teachers and families.
Before leaving we celebrated our raffle, which this year was full of great prizes, all donated by teachers, families and local businesses.
The Escuela Caracol birthday is a very special moment, and every year we strive to celebrate it with great respect and dedication. This year the turnout was overwhelming, with many families comming to celebrate this special moment. How happy and thankful we are to be part of this great family!
This post is also available in: Spanish
It seems as if it were only yesterday that Josh, Courtney, Althea, Leroy (their dog and school mascot) myself, my wife, and Nicholas (the guardian of the school) stood where the first classroom was constructed and dug the first shovel-fulls of dirt to officially “ground-break” for Escuela Caracol. A small wooden snail puzzle with a secret compartment inside it stills holds some of those precious grounds of dirt as a constant reminder of Josh and Courtney’s vision for the school. In eight years so much has been accomplished, so many lives have been changed, and the village of San Marcos la Laguna (as well as the country of Guatemala) has benefited from the presence of this educational and social wonder. May the next eight years in the life of this school be even more of a blessing to all who enter its gate.