Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/learn-locally-grow-globally/5022166/
Pueblo Viejo Village, Toledo District, BelizeDalia Camy Sho, Preschool Teacher and Stephen Sho, Principal
“You learn locally and grow up globally” remarks Stephen Sho, in talking about the purpose of San Francisco de Jeronimo School, where he is the principal. The Mayan children in the school participate in the dual-language program, being taught in both English, the official language of Belize, and in their native Mayan language. Steven wants the language and traditions of the Mayan culture to be preserved through these children.
The school was founded in 1957 to serve the children of the Pueblo Viejo Village in the Toledo District in southern Belize, near the border with Guatemala. The school serves 132 children in pre-K through 6th grade. The preschool, taught by Stephen’s sister, Dalia Camy Sho (pictured on the cover), serves 14 children from the village. Stephen and Dalia’s goal is to open a larger, stand-alone preschool to serve more children from the area.
Stephen’s philosophy is based on two premises. First, in order to secure your foundation of who you are, you need to be immersed in the language and traditions of your heritage in the early years. Stephen believes that both the children and the teachers benefit from their ...