Our History

Did you know that the word "BECA" means "scholarship" in Spanish? BECA - Bilingual Education for Central America - is a non-profit 501(c)(3) grassroots organization focused on realizing large hopes and dreams for the children and families of Cofradia, and eventually children and families throughout Central America and the USA.

The idea for BECA was originally conceived in 2001, when several North Americans arrived in Cofradia, Honduras with the idea of helping to build a school that could serve as a model for inexpensive bilingual education in Central America. As a result of their experiences during that first school year and the many lessons they learned from their Honduran friends, they created BECA to not only provide a quality education for the students in the classrooms, but to provide a quality immersion experience for the volunteer teachers as well.

As with any multicultural collaboration, an investment from local partners is crucial for any project that hopes to achieve a sustainable structure. To that end, BECA was proud to announce that San Jeronimo Bilingual School (SJBS), in Cofradia, Cortes, Honduras, opened its doors (well, actually there were no doors yet) in September 2004. The school is operated via partnership by the newly formed Asociacion de Padres de Cofradia and BECA.

Over 185 students, in grades Pre-K through ninth grade receive a quality bilingual education at SJBS from a teaching staff that includes Hondurans, North Americans and Europeans. The students' North American and European teachers simultaneously benefit from a cultural immersion that will equip them to improve the academic outcomes of Hispanic children in their own countries some day.

The school is able to cover its operating expenses (by using a sliding scale tuition program) because BECA takes responsibility for the costs associated with the volunteer teacher program. Although many of the families pay as little as $5 or $10 a month, this contribution (which covers Honduran teacher salaries and basic utilities) creates a strong commitment to the school’s mission. This commitment enables us to work more effectively with families on behalf of their children!

Why Do We Do This Work?

The public school system in Honduras is not able to provide supplies or adequate facilities. Over the last several years, public school teachers have frequently been on strike for weeks at a time; closing down schools and depriving children of an education. While in session, teachers are often given sole responsibility for classes of 60-100 students. There are often no supplies or furniture.

SJBS not only provides the structure/attention missing in public schools, it goes beyond this by offering a bilingual education. This is important for the students because Hondurans who speak English are virtually guaranteed jobs that pay more than double their non-English speaking counterparts.

We address a need in the United States too. According to the 2000 census, approximately one in eight people in the United States is of Hispanic origin and 35.7% of them are less than 18 years old (as compared to 23.5% of non-Hispanic whites). With such a rapidly expanding population of Hispanic children, many organizations are currently examining how our schools can better meet these children's needs.

BECA’s program provides a formative learning experience for American teachers. Through their “in-country experience” teachers become better equipped to understand English Language Learners in the United States. This intercultural exchange is priceless: students learn from teachers and teachers from students.