While the rest of the world had their eyes on the Olympics in Athens, Greece, we at Casa Aleluya are watching Olympians of a different sort. Each year, Guatemala’s Ministry of Education hosts a competition in Mathematics and Science. The national winner of this competition receives academic scholarship funds. Junior High students from every part of the country take a preliminary standardized test in their respective schools to see who qualifies to compete in the regional competition and potentially advance to the national level.

Of our 66 junior high students in Colegio Aleluya, twenty five qualified to represent us in the regional competition — along with a total of 9,914 other students across the country. Only 1,230 students would survive this cut; three of these students were from Casa Aleluya. Otoniel Najarro Audon competed in the science division, while Jon Henry Barrios and Dina Sanic Ortiz competed in the mathematics division.  These three scholars advanced to the second round of competition which was held on August 6th, 2004.  At the writing of this article, the results from round two are not yet known. There remains the third and final round of competition, which includes not only a written section but an oral exam as well.

Please stand in prayer and encouragement with us to honor and congratulate Otoniel, Jon Henry, Dina and all our scholars here at Casa Aleluya. This is a wonderful testimony to the quality of education that is available to our children and the value that is placed upon educational excellence at Casa Aleluya. When the final results of the competition are in we will share the news.