Taking a vacation to the pristine, unspoiled tropical paradise that is Belize is great. But what if there was a way for visitors to help give back to the local community?
It was exactly that thought that led to the creation of the “It’s Cool To Be Smart” initiative. Belize is a developing country and struggles to properly fund basic services, including education. As such, Belize is in need of basic school supplies, including pens, books, bags and other items.
The way that guests of the resort can help give back to the local community is to make use of extra luggage space to bring in much-needed school supplies when they visit Belize. Resorts like the Belize Boutique Resort and Spa will then distribute the materials to local schools, including Maskall Pre-School, Zion Park (elementary), and King’s College (high school) in the nearby villages of Maskall and Santana, as well as the local library.
If you’d like to help out, simply pack basic school supplies in your luggage before traveling to Belize. You can then give these supplies to the resort, which will distribute them. It’s a simple process, but it can really make a difference in the lives of the underprivileged children in northern Belize.
One of the programs run by “It’s Cool To Be Smart” is a so-called honor library. The honor library is a combination library and school supply depot that distributes textbooks, regular books, and school supplies to those who need them the most – all without cost to the children.
The Belize Boutique Resort and Spa also works with two related programs called “COACH” and “Accelerators” that matches struggling students with students who are performing well in a mentor/mentee relationship. Currently, one of Belize’s greatest struggles is the dropout rate as nearly one child in five quits high school before graduating.
If you’d like to participate, you can contact the resort and ask what is needed or pack basic supplies in your luggage such as:
-Backpacks
-Pens and pencils
-Pencil sharpeners
-Pencil cases
-Erasers
-Rulers
-Pencil sharpeners
-Scissors
-Crayons
-Glue, glue sticks, and glue guns
-Children’s books (like Dr. Seuss)
-Educational games
-Educational DVDs
-Arts and crafts materials
-Magnets
-Play-Doh or modeling clay
-Wooden blocks
-Puzzles
-Educational flash cards
-Whiteboards
The “It’s Cool To Be Smart” program also operates a summer camp. If you’d like to participate as a volunteer or have any questions about what to bring, email reservation@belizeresortandspa.com.
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