School Days

School Days

Canon Powershot G5 - Taken during lunch at the Mount Carmel High School, in Benque Viejo del Carmen, Belize. This school was founded by Fr. John McHugh, in response to the problem of children being stuck on the street. Students are required to pass entrance exams, in order to enter High School. If the entrance exams are not passed, then the student is stuck on the street. The school provides a high school education for those who have not passed their exams, especially those who have a dire financial need. There are about thirty-five degreed volunteer teachers from around the world. This year, teachers come from Canada, the United States, and Great Britain. Because of the student population, Mount Carmel High School was once called the "Donkey School". Now, despite the odds and material limitations of the school, Mount Carmel's students are some of the best educated in the country. Mount Carmel is has also now become a school of choice, even for children from nearby Guatemala.