Are you excited for 2017 with Guatemalan students yet!? 2015 was #Awesomeyear, 2016 was even better, and 2017 is gonna be the best yet. Take a peek at what lies in store for you, CoEd supporters:

ONE

Inaugurating our new Education Center, which will consolidate our staff offices in the very heart of the country, helping us be a more together, more efficient poverty-busting team! (We also got some cool bonus features like solar panels and teacher-training rooms.)

panorama of the new center

Isn’t it pretty?

Paola tries out our new Ed Center.

Student approved.

TWO

Year two of our Thousand Girls Initiative, the push to reach 1,000 girls across Guatemala and place them in our Scholarship & Youth Development Program before they drop out of school. Guess what that means? More heartwarming sponsor-student relationships like these:

hugs

You see this?

Katie and Paola

We live for this.

Get in on that 2017 hug action by sponsoring a student and coming on tour!

THREE

We’ve got some changes coming to our Culture of Reading Program that will help us expand the program so that more kids can learn to read! We also plan to share our successful program model with organizations in other developing nations around the world.

raising hand

Raise those hands, kids.

letter game

Flaunt those letter games.

FOUR

The synergy between CoEd and Idea Global is about to take off, because our co-founder Jeff is transitioning to a leadership position in this partner organization. Idea Global will continue helping mothers learn how to nourish and stimulate their children’s development so that they are ready to learn when it’s time for CORP!

CoEd2016_A16ER_Amanda_274

CoEd staffer Gaby (left) hugs CoEd graduate and Idea Global staffer Magda (right).

chubby cheeks

Just look at these little chubbies.

FIVE

Lots and lots of tours. That’s right, in 2017 it’s be there or be square, because we are ready for seven trips to help you connect with the teachers and students you support. You’ve already changed their lives—why not let them change yours?

get a hug

Get a hug.

Share a book.

Share a book.

unlikely-friends

Make a friend.

graduation

Even walk your student down the aisle at graduation.

dance time

You do NOT wanna miss this.