Teach in Honduras with BECA

I was placed at ADJ this year and have chosen to stay a 2nd year! BECA's bilingual immersion program has completely shifted my views on the value of education, opportunity, and access. I've loved working in the BECA program at the ADJ location and have enjoyed my times visiting the other two schools. My time here has been an cross-cultural experience, a time of personal and professional growth, and a blast getting to know the most fun, amazing kids! I've enjoyed it so much, and I can't wait to grow another year here.

I volunteered with BECA for 3 summers, 2009-2011, and had the best experience! I enjoyed what I was able to do and learn so much that I returned as a year-long volunteer for the 2014-2015 school year. I was a first-grade teacher at Amigos de Jesus and have since been back to visit several times. BECA changed my life in so many ways. It gave me a lot of focus and helped me to find my calling. I was also really pushed to learn more about myself and the world. Since ending my time as a volunteer the organization has continued to support me. I have received recommendations from several members of the BECA community that I am convinced helped me to get into different graduate programs as well as job offers. This is an organization whose mission is worth supporting. It will be one of the hardest years of your life but it will be worth it in the end.

Be prepared for a life that is a far cry from the hyper-convenient, digital pace many of us come from. We are talking long, hot, dusty days spent on concrete floors in a classroom full of students whose lives most likely look far different from your own childhood. If you are willing to devote yourself to this year, the BECA team (and sizable alumni community) will do absolutely everything they can to equip you with the education and resources you need to serve those kids to the best of your ability.

This is not your average US NGO working in Latin America. The schools are run by the local Honduran community and forged by the relentless support of students' parents. If you are invited to work with BECA, you are joining a project that hundreds of volunteers before you have poured their hearts and minds into and the that the local communities have supported since its inception. We as volunteers are given the immense responsibility and privilege of continuing an over decade long project of offering an affordable bilingual education to Honduran youth in rural villages. We are talking some of the most intense, rewarding work on the planet. Go for it!

I was a teacher with BECA for two years. It was one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences I have ever had, and I could not have asked for a better experience. If you are looking to work for an organization that is run by a great group of thoughtful, ethical, and passionate individuals, this is the place for you! I've met some of the most amazing people through this experience. Friends I will have for the rest of my life.

Also, the kids. I haven't even mentioned how cute and ornery and magical these children are. Getting to know the students and their families was my favorite part of the two years I spent at San Jeronimo Bilingual School and Amigos.

BECA provides teachers with resources, training, and continued support, and although there will be days that push you, you will emerge with a greater understanding of how to work with a dynamic team to become a better educator and a better community member!

I went to Honduras with BECA to teach middle school math for the 2012-13 school year but I ended up staying for 2 more years. The school was very much connected to the Honduran community and I made lasting connections with my students and their families. Teaching was the hardest thing I had ever done (after 5 years of working as a mechanical engineer) and at first I thought I wouldn't make it. However, with great support from BECA and loving students I ended up thriving in ways I never imagined. I learned how to do more with less, overcome all types of obstacles, and work as a member of a very diverse team. If you volunteer with BECA, you will do amazing work that will leave a lasting impact on your students but my guess is it will be you how learns and changes the most.

When I arrived in Honduras after graduating college in 2012 to volunteer with BECA I had no idea what kind of experience I was in for. I didn't speak any Spanish, I had never taught second graders and I had never even traveled anywhere south of the U.S. let alone Honduras. However that leap of faith positively effects my life, now 6 years later, almost every day.

BECA does an excellent job training and supporting teachers and administrators so that they can provide quality English education to existing, locally owned and operated, schools in Honduras. This model stands out from other NGO's in that it is community driven, sustainable, and provides a desired service (access to free/very low-cost English teaching from trained, high-quality teachers).

As a second grade teacher, and then an elementary resource (special-ed) teacher, I was inspired to pursue further training and education in bilingual/second language education and teaching. After BECA, I got my masters in Applied Linguistics and am now a researcher and PhD candidate in Linguistics. I also travel back to Honduras every summer to provide support to the summer training program for new teachers. I certainly credit BECA to inspiring and supporting these achievements. Not to mention all the amazing friends I made (Hondurans, Americans, Canadians, Irish and British all included!) many of whom play a significant and daily role in my life. I highly recommend this program to anyone who wants a challenging but rewarding experience!

After college I was looking to go back abroad and immerse myself in a responsible, intercultural experience. I found out about BECA through a friend and was lucky enough to join their team as a Kindergarten teacher. I also worked as their online media manager. Working for BECA was an eye-opening, fun experience and the most rewarding job I have had so far. I worked with other amazing volunteers, school partners and community members, whom were all dedicated to helping BECA carry out it's mission. You will make friends for life!

My experience at BECA changed my life. I mean that sincerely. I no longer work in the non-profit industry (I'm a graphic designer at a creative agency) but employers are still impressed with the work I did with BECA. I've been able to apply the skills and knowledge I gained to different positions in the entertainment and creative industries. Working for this organization will make an impact on your personal life and on your career. I encourage everyone to check out this organization and the incredible work they are doing down in Honduras!

I decided to join BECA in 2014, a year after I graduated from college, starting as the Middle School English Teacher, and can confidently say it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. It was certainly challenging, but so rewarding in so many ways - the relationships with the students and the families, the close friendships with the other teachers, and the incredible amount of learning and growth you experience professionally, socially, and emotionally. I stayed a second year as the Upper School Resource Teacher, which was also the right choice - it was perfect to have a year where I already felt at home in the community and could focus on my teaching and the students. Even two years after leaving Honduras, I'm still in contact with my students and their families, still best friends with many of the other program members I worked with, and still involved with BECA today. I cannot stress enough how significant this program was to me, and cannot recommend it enough for anyone who is committed to working hard and open to a lot of humbling learning experiences. (I would also mention the practical benefits of improving Spanish-speaking ability, travel around Central America, and delicious, delicious food).

When I finished my time in the military, I wanted to continue serving in another form, and I found it with BECA. I signed on for one year as a 2nd grade teacher, stayed for another year to teach the same kids in 3rd grade, and stayed again for a third year as the school administrator. I became so immersed in seeing my kids learn and grow each day, and becoming part of a community set on developing education together to overcome the challenges brought by generational poverty, inequality and natural disaster. The longer I stayed, the harder it became for me to leave. No matter how challenging the work was, watching my kids mature into the future leaders of Honduras, and seeing the pride their families felt for them, made it always worth it.

Since returning to the USA, I continue to work in education and look back on my years with BECA as some of the best of my life. This is so much more than a quick voluntourism or mission trip that merely shows you something new. This is a chance to perform real service that truly changes the future of a community and an entire country.

If you want to serve, work for BECA.

As a senior in college, I knew I wanted to spend a year pursuing post-graduate service, and I found myself struggling to decide between several different programs. I ultimately chose BECA based on the opportunities I would receive as a classroom teacher and as a member of a Honduran community as well as the impact I could leave through my work. I could not be happier with the decision.

I spent the 2013-2014 school year as a kindergarten teacher and loved my experience so much that I returned to spend first grade with my students the following year. I fell in love with the energetic students, dedicated families, and passionate culture of Honduras. I learned so much as a teacher with BECA and formed strong relationships that are still with me even several years after leaving.

Since returning to the States, I have continued working in bilingual and ELL education. I have gone back to visit Honduras every year and cherish the unique connections I made there.

Dear Friends,
I still remember stumbling upon BECA at a job fair during my second semester as a senior in college. I was feeling bleak about the end of my years in Boston, and unsure about what was coming next. I did know that I wanted to travel, to develop my language skills, to be challenged, and to learn about myself and others. In the 2 years (and recent trips back to Honduras) these expectations were met and more.
Now, as a teacher in Bilingual Kindergarten teacher Oakland, I rely on my BECA foundation every day. It prepared me to be flexible and adapt, to work hard (and have fun) to celebrate the joys of learning, to value multiple languages, to embrace our differences, and to build bridges in today's world.
My BECA family is still very much part of my life. I am contact with former students, my host family, and with other BECA alumni. It is hard to express in words how much my 2 years with BECA/Honduras impacted my life. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I taught second grade with BECA. As someone without previous teaching experience, they provided in-depth support, mentorship, and professional development. Since I completed my time with BECA, I have been able to use this lead-teaching experience to secure other jobs in education and youth development. BECA is making a substantial impact in their communities and gives each volunteer a meaningful teaching experience.

I taught in Honduras with BECA for 2 years after I completed college. I had spent some time working with youth in outdoor settings, but had never been trained or worked as a classroom teacher. This was a fantastic opportunity to learn about teaching and bilingual education in an exciting environment. The work environment, camaraderie and opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of people were incredible and unforgettable experiences. My co-volunteers turned into lifelong friends, and the network of professional support I received after my years in Honduras have laid the foundation for what has become a wonderful career in education.

After my graduation from college, I spent a of years working both in education and for a non-profit in India. With this experience, I began applying to graduate school hoping to continue towards working in education and development. Unfortunately, I received a lot of rejections. The applicant pool has become so competitive that in order to enter these fields one needs a substantial amount of experience. Having learned this I embarked on a challenge that I knew would change my life.

I sought out to teach first grade in Cofradia, Honduras and it is one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had. While it has a reputation of being a dangerous country, Honduras is home to some of the kindest, most welcoming people I have met. While teaching with BECA, I was able to go beyond the school environment to meet families and become a part of the community. Not only are Hondurans welcoming, your fellow teachers become your family while you are there. It is an exceptional experience to be surrounded by like-minded individuals that share the same values of service, hard-work and teaching. While it will be difficult at times, the relationships you build and the experience you gain from teaching are invaluable and will set you apart from your peers.

I ended up reapplying to graduate school while in Honduras and with the things I had learned with BECA, I was able to show the schools why I would be an addition to their program. I recently completed my masters degree and am now working for a non-profit in the DC metro area. I think that if you have found yourself to be a bit stuck and you want to push yourself to grow and learn then BECA is the opportunity for you!

My time with BECA was truly an amazing experience. As a Latin American Studies and Spanish major, I was very interested in living and working in Central America. I was drawn to BECA for their community development model, in which they work with Honduran families and staff as true partners in an effort to create change. From my first day in Honduras, I felt supported by BECA. The six week training allowed me to bond with my fellow teachers and prepared me for managing my own classroom. Teaching was not always easy, but I knew I could always rely on the support and encouragement from my fellow teachers. The most important thing that I took away from my year teaching with BECA is the relationships I have made. I made lasting relationships with my students, their families, and my fellow teachers that will truly last a lifetime. I am grateful for the opportunity to have been welcomed into such a generous community of people in Honduras and for the opportunity to have worked along side them to continue to provide affordable bilingual education for their children.