Spring Break. For many it was a well-deserved break from school and studies. For the Educarte team it was a time of reflection and transformation. As many of you know, since 2016 Educarte has provided more than 1000 children in Puerto Peñasco with access to education. With your generous support, hundreds of local young people graduated from high school and thirty-two of them have now graduated from college. Forty-nine more students are currently in college and nine of those are on track to graduate this year.

While I am very proud of all that we have accomplished, along the way we have learned that there are many children in this community who do not even have the option of attending school. Unlike in the United States and Canada, public schools in Mexico are not required to serve children with disabilities and schools in Rocky Point do not accept most children who need special accommodations to learn. Tragically, this leaves many of these very special young people spending their days at home, isolated from their peers and without the chance to reach their potential.

A School of Their Own

I am very excited to announce the launch of Educarte’s first educational program focused on serving families and children with special needs. The pilot is now underway, offering a weekly afternoon program. We opened the doors for registration on March 6th at “Mi Escuelita”, hosting a classroom tour and the opportunity to meet the dedicated teachers, professionals and volunteers that are working together to develop a very special school. Thanks to the generosity of the Tucson Rotary Club, we were able to secure $2,000 USD to use for materials and supplies to help start up the program. Check out our Facebook page www.facebook.com/educarteaim to see live coverage of the Open House and hear first-hand from grateful parents how much this means to them to be able to finally provide their special children with a school experience.

Professional Therapies to Help Kids Reach Their Potential

In January of 2021 we launched the C.A.T.I. clinic to provide therapies and professional support for children with special needs. The C.A.T.I. team works together in a clinic setting to help each child overcome obstacles to independence and reach his or her potential. After only two years of operation, this program is changing lives. We are thrilled to announce that we have recently extended the current one-year agreement with Arizona State University (ASU) to a five-year partnership! Just like the kids that this program serves, this partnership is unique, using technology to deliver and provide local kids with bilingual tele-speech therapy. Thanks so much to our ASU colleagues and to our generous donors who continue to make “all things possible”.

“The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.”- Franklin Roosevelt

I am very excited that my local team will now be focused on providing young people with disabilities with the support they need to thrive and participate fully in life. We are committed to serving all children who can benefit from Educarte’s support, regardless of their family’s ability to pay. Unfortunately, we have a long list of children waiting for therapies and education support. Please go to www.AmigosEducarte.com to help us to raise funds to serve all of them.

Providing young people with special needs with the support they need to thrive and participate takes a commitment from all of us.

Thank you for partnering with us on this incredible journey.