Two Decades of Transforming Lives in the Boca Costa Presbytery

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History of the Scholarship Program

First Pres began its scholarship program in 2005, awarding one scholarship to each church in the Union Maya Quiché Boca Costa Presbytery in Guatemala—a total of seven scholarships. The following year the initiative doubled in size, and from there it continued to expand. By 2025, the program had grown to support 94 secondary students (grades 7-12) and 4 university students. This program continues to change the lives of individuals and families, and uplift entire communities. Since its creation, at least 193 students have graduated from high school thanks to the generosity of First Pres members and friends.

How to Support

The fundraising campaign for the next academic year ends on October 20, 2025. The number of scholarships to be awarded in 2026 depends on the campaign’s outcome.

• Scholarships cost $485 per student in grades 7-12 and $1,500 per university student.

• Donations of any size are welcome; donors do not have to cover a full scholarship or pay it all at once. Filling out a pledge card (available at the welcome center) will help with planning if you don’t intend to make your entire donation before the end of the fundraising campaign.

• Ways to give include donating securely online (Click here), placing a check in the offering plate, or mailing or delivering a check to the church.  Make checks payable to FPCHC and write “Guatemala Scholarships” in the memo line.

Why Scholarships Matter

Unlike in the United States, where public education is free through high school, public education in the Boca Costa region of Guatemala ends with grade 6. The cost of secondary and university education is substantial, but the First Pres scholarships bridge this gap by covering tuition, books, supplies, shoes, and transportation. Secondary school students are required to wear uniforms, so those are covered as needed. University students receive a laptop computer in their first year of study, a necessary component of their studies.

Student Choices and Academic Paths

Students and their families choose the school and field of study that best suits them. In 2024, scholarship recipients attended nineteen different secondary schools. Middle school is structured similarly to that in Maryland, while high school offers a range of paths, such as technical trades (electrician, truck mechanic, culinary arts, computer repair, technical nursing) and academic tracks (business administration, teaching, accounting, computer science, college prep, agronomy, and more). Many older students attend classes on weekends and work during the week, a pattern common among university students as well.

University Program Details

Guatemala’s university system offers associate degrees (three years) and bachelor’s degrees (five years). All four current university scholarship recipients are pursuing bachelor’s degrees in computer science or education.

Life After Graduation

Program graduates enter a wide variety of careers ranging from health care, teaching, working for local companies or government offices, entrepreneurial ventures, or practicing a trade. Most remain active in their churches, serving as elders, deacons, Sunday School teachers.

Education empowers them to break the cycle of poverty and build better lives for themselves and those around them. Most graduates contribute locally after completing their studies.

A Family’s Journey

Mirna Josephina began receiving a scholarship in 2006 as a seventh grader, later graduating high school with a diploma in elementary education and becoming a teacher. When she saw unmet needs in her community, Mirna returned to school to study social work, a career she has found deeply rewarding. Her sister, Berta Nohemi, graduated in 2018. She received a scholarship for her final year of high school. Both sisters exemplify the program’s transformative power and their education paved the way for impactful careers serving others. In January 2025, a delegation from First Pres visited with them during a stove installation in the home of their parents. The family expressed deep gratitude to First Pres for the scholarships as well as the stove. They asked us to convey that they could never fully repay these gifts, but they are trusting God to bless First Pres for the ongoing generosity demonstrated through the compañerismo (partnership). 

Berta (L), Mirna (R)

The Ongoing Need

Many families are hoping this will be the year their children will be included in the scholarship program and start down a path to a brighter future.  Will you help their dreams be realized?

Questions? Contact the Guatemala project leaders at guatemala@firstpreshc.org.