Our ties run deep. But U.S. immigration laws are strict – and we want to make sure that you understand that if you try to enter the United States illegally, lie to get a visa, work without legal permission, or remain after your period of authorized stay, you will face serious consequences.
To make America safe, strong, and prosperous, President Trump is ensuring that citizens from all countries follow U.S. immigration laws. Breaking these laws could lead to jail time, deportation, and a ban on obtaining a U.S. visa in the future.
If you know someone who is in the United States illegally, now is the time to tell them to come home to Belize.
Trying to Enter or Remain Illegally Will Get You Caught
Don’t think that you can sneak into the United States or remain there illegally. The truth is that you will be caught. The Trump Administration has strengthened border security and significantly increased the number of illegal aliens being arrested and deported.
U.S. Visa Fraud Has Serious Consequences
The U.S. visa process is the most secure in the world. Cheating the system by using fake documents, lying on your application, or staying after your visa expires is visa fraud. And it’s a serious crime. If you break the law in this way, you may never be allowed to enter the United States again.
The Journey to the U.S. Border is Dangerous
For those considering making the dangerous journey to illegally cross into the United States, understand that your safety – and even your life – are at risk. Criminal groups, cartels, and human traffickers target illegal migrants, subjecting them to violence, extortion, and assault. Many who attempt the journey never make it to their destination.
The United States is working with Belize and other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to stop and return people trying to enter illegally before they even reach the U.S. border. By securing our borders, we are preventing the suffering caused by illegal immigration and protecting American citizens.
President Trump is Holding Everyone Accountable
The U.S. government is also taking action against those who help others enter the country illegally. This includes smugglers, human traffickers and even foreign government officials who allow illegal immigration to continue.
Recently, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a new visa restriction policy for foreign officials – including immigration, customs, and port authority staff – who fail to help stop illegal immigration. This builds on similar existing restrictions for those in the transportation and tourism industries. Those who threaten U.S. security by facilitating illegal immigration are not welcome in our country.
The Choice is Clear – Follow the Law
The risks of trying to illegally immigrate to the United States far outweigh any potential benefits. You could lose your life, become a victim of criminals, or end up with a record that damages your future and your family’s future.
Illegal entry not only breaks U.S. laws, it also puts your safety and well-being in jeopardy. The penalties are serious: jail time, separation from your family, and permanent bans from re-entering the United States.
Please reach out to your friends or family members who are in the United States illegally. The best thing you can do for them is encourage them to leave now before they are caught.
For everyone, the message is simple: Make the right choice, follow the law, and don’t risk your safety, your family, or your future. Belize is a wonderful place to live. We look forward to seeing you return home.
David Hodge
Chargé d’affaires
U.S. Embassy Belmopan
The MoRe Campaign is making waves across the country, highlighting institutions that go above and beyond for their students. We’ve traveled to every corner of Belize to tell the stories of deserving schools and students. This week, we visited the Itz’At Academy right here in Belize City. Despite opening its doors only a year ago, the school embodies the essence of the MoRe Campaign across all pillars defined by the Ministry of Education. Sabreena Daly stopped by to see what the STEAM Academy is achieving under the pillar of Creativity and Innovation, and if you know anything about Itz’At, STEAM is indeed where it’s at. Here’s that story.
Sabreena Daly, Reporting
They call it the Maker Space, a place where ideas transform into reality. In this room, first-form students engage in activities ranging from coding for robotics and woodworking to 3D printing. Lionel Palacio, the Key Learning Area teacher at Itz’At Academy, oversees this innovative space, with a particular focus on Digital Art.
Lionel Palacio
Lionel Palacio, Key Learning Area Teacher, Itz’At Steam Academy
“So, the class we are currently in right now is called Maker and Maker allows the students to tinker with the different types of tools and skills and produce tangible stuff.”
Students are busy creating a logo for a business. Palacio explains that the curriculum provides an integrated learning experience, where each subject seamlessly connects with others.
Lionel Palacio
“Most of our subjects or courses are connected. Students work on their digital art logo. So this cycle is called Promote It. And they would create a logo in Digital Art, which is a separate subject, but that very logo, they had to do research on their favorite logo. Once they have learned that, they start to tinker and design their own logo according to their passion. So the objective was what is your passion? Okay. Maybe your one is food. So what type of food? And so you think about maybe you could create a business. Now you need to create a face for a business, which is a logo.”
Thirteen-year-old Jayzden Nembhard proudly shows us her project—a logo for her business, “Learn Together.” Her idea aims to engage students interested in the same subjects she is studying.
Jayzden Nembhard
Jayzden Nembhard, Student, Itz’At Academy
“My idea was that I wanted to have a company that could help students coming into high schools like ours that is basically technology based to learn more about technology. So I think in my company, I would teach about the basics of technology, like for students who came from primary schools that don’t use computers, that they could learn before they come to high school, maybe like a summer program or something like that.”
Lionel Palacio
“So what they’re doing now, they’re solving on their own, which of these machines will best illustrate their logo. And today is going to be like a test run. So if you’re going to run it on the vinyl, It might not come out so good until you go back and iterate. Maybe there’s something that is clogging. Maybe you need to reduce some tone or color or something until you would have done that. So, they’re basically going to test it on whatever machine they want.”
Itz’At Academy exemplifies what competency-based learning can achieve when students are given the opportunity to be critical thinkers and problem solvers.
Lionel Palacio
“The reason I’m here is because education is different. It is the future. It is having students have access to state of the art machines, having access to new information, having access to how to become entrepreneurs, autonomous thinkers. And the typical high school can only do that to a limit. An example of this is that we teach them how to research, allowing them to gather these tools and skills on how to do research. It’s a gateway for them to further their education and also become lifelong learners. And so if we’re looking at competency based learning, it is more of what the student can do with knowledge and skill and present it in a way that is original–authentic. It’s not like a guided activity where everybody’s producing the same thing. So, it aligns in terms of having our students be competent in what they’re doing.”
Competency-based learning is also evident in their creative and innovative approach to education. In this class, students engage in collaborative projects and demonstrate digital literacy.
Lionel Palacio
“What we do here is students are allowed their phone, of course with a license. The license allows them to know how to use their phone. They agree to use a phone. So we teach them how to use their devices properly for productivity. And we introduce softwares to them. Instead of using paper, they use their Chrome books to document their work, to save their work. So because we’re getting to a digitized world, allowing the students to be comfortable with that aspect makes it very easy for them to put things in and bring things out.”
Christine Coc, the vice principal of the institution, oversees a cohort of sixty-four students. The Ministry of Education’s four-point scale guides their progress.
Christine Coc
Christine Coc, Vice Principal, Itz’At Academy
“We use the four point scale that the ministry has. You have emerging, developing, achieving, and mastery. And so what we do is we say when you start off and you have never used a laser cutter before, you might be at emerging, so you will know some of the information, but as we start to teach, when you start to practice, then you start moving up the levels that eventually you don’t need a teacher’s help. You have now mastered how to use the machines. And so for us, that’s what competency is all about. Are you able to do the work?”
Elroy Tucker Jr. eagerly shares his prototype and concept with us. Displayed on the screen, he describes a coded animation that, once refined, could support his business idea for an animated game, centered around a character with a personality disorder.
Elroy Tucker Jr.
Elroy Tucker Jr. , Student, Itz’At Steam Academy
“My logo is mainly representing the people who have a special disorder called Dissociative Personality Disorder. So my initial idea was to make a video game about it where you would interact with the world with different personalities inside of one singular host. And it was a really interesting concept to think about. I hope that I can use this same logo when I make the game in the future.”
Interacting with students at the STEAM academy reveals a bright future for Belize when forward-thinking education is embraced. Coc’s goal is to equip students with skill sets that make them highly desirable to employers or capable of creating their own businesses.
Christine Coc
“For me, when I see them, my vision of them walking down that stage is for them to be proud and say, Yeah, I got my diploma today and tomorrow I already have a job. Or I don’t have a job with somebody, but I can make my own business because I can design stickers. I can design logos. You give me a sketch, I can draw it for you. And so for me, that is the vision that I have for an Itz’At student.”
Over the weekend, special invited guests attended the soft launch of a new restaurant and lounge in Cayo District. It’s called 3 Senses and it’s a fine-dining experience that appeals to the faculties of sight, smell and taste. The brainchild of a husband and wife couple that migrated to Belize from Germany, 3 Senses is an extension of Vanilla Hills Lodge and its their initiative to bring European wine culture to the Jewel. In a sponsored segment we’ll take a firsthand look at the new 3 Senses. Here’s News Five’s Isani Cayetano.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
At the pinnacle of gourmet dining, the harmonious marriage between a well-chosen bottle of wine and a dish transcends taste boundaries. Wine does more than accompany a meal; it complements, contrasts, and enhances each bite, unfolding layers of complexity that captivate the senses.
Claudia Konig
Claudia Konig, Owner, 3 Senses Lounge
“The concept behind 3 Senses is really that we want to specifically provide a very nice experience for our Belizean guests, not only for the tourists. And the name 3 Senses comes from the fact that if you want to have a nice meal, or a nice experience with food and beverages, all three senses they need to be pleased. You need to see something, it needs to be appealing for the eyes, if you smell it, it should smell very nice and finally, the taste buds, they need to be satisfied as well.”
The soft glow of string lights glimmer across wood and glass architecture, fire dances on water, and the air is infused with the aroma of wine and food. Each sip and bite are carefully choreographed and designed to create a distinct sensory experience. Welcome to 3 Senses, a restaurant and lounge nestled in the heart of Vanilla Hills, just outside of San Ignacio.
Franklin Syrowatka
Franklin Syrowatka, Owner, 3 Senses Lounge
“3 Senses, first of all, it is something that was born between my wife and myself, you know. We have a hotel, this is a hotel here, and we are close to San Ignacio. So what you want to do is give your guests a reason to stay at the hotel in the evening and not go to town, so you want to create something nice. That’s how it started.”
Since then, Claudia Konig and her husband, Franklin Syrowatka, have invested significantly in an outdoor experience that embodies the spirit of Cayo District. The couple fell in love with western Belize when they relocated from Germany over a decade ago.
Franklyn Syrowatka
“I came up with this circular shape of the lounge because, I think, it closes you in a little but it opens up to the pool. Doing it like that, we could create these little nooks, you know, for two people, divided by plants. So that’s how we started.”
The fine-dining experience here goes beyond mere sustenance, it is an art form and a celebration of life’s pleasures.
Claudi Konig
“We’ve created a classy and sophisticated place for our Belizean guests to come here to give yourself a treat, to enjoy the evening and maybe to get an experience you’ve never had before. To taste a whiskey you have never heard of before or just to kind of get use to drinking wine in Belize. Most Belizeans, they are not really familiar with wine and you can’t blame them because in the past it was not really in the culture here.”
The ambiance of 3 Senses whispers sophistication, inviting guests to embark on a culinary journey like no other.
Claudia Konig
“Currently, we have fifty different kinds of wine on our shelves and we try to bring a very good experience with wine to our customers.”
Isani Cayetano
“What do you believe is the draw or the centerpiece for anyone who comes to 3 Senses?”
Franklin Syrowatka
“Well I believe it is the fire and the water, from a visual point of view, and then of course we have a wide selection of wines, you know, so we want to be ambassadors for wine.”
Isani Cayetano
“And whiskey.”
Franklin Syrowatka
“And whiskey, yes. Although I must admit, my heart is where the wine grows because I grew up in a wine growing area of Germany and it was part of the culture there.”
In this symphony of flavors, wine and food intertwine, leaving behind not just a meal but a cherished memory, a sensory masterpiece etched in time.
Claudia Konig
“First of all, I would like to say big thanks to my husband, who is the mastermind behind the concept and to all the workers who participated and who are working for us, to kind of finish or fulfill our dream and big thanks to our amazing staff.”
In the bustling halls of Toledo Community College, a transformative movement is underway. Students and faculty have joined forces to tackle one of society’s most pressing issues: bullying. Through an innovative approach to competency-based learning, Toledo Community College is rewriting the narrative on preventing bullying. Sabreena Daly tells us more in this week’s Look on The Bright Side.
Jeremiah Logan
Jeremiah Logan, Student, Toledo Community College
“I believe a bully is someone who doesn’t love themselves to a certain extent that they want to hurt you. They want to make you feel bad about yourself. If you’re a bully, then you’re always going to try to do negative things. Sometimes people who are bullies are people who have low self esteem, who are being treated badly, probably at home, and they don’t know how to control themselves. So they go on, you know, they bully others to get that comfort.”
Jeremiah Logan is a proud member of this year’s graduating class at Toledo Community College. Known for his easygoing nature, he holds kindness and humility as core values. Ironically, these very qualities made him a target for bullies.
Jeremiah Logan
“Well, my experience is that, you know, um, because I’m a male, people would expect me to, as they say something to me, I would be a bit more rowdy with them, but I walk away. So, for these reasons People think I’m kind of soft, I’m weak, or so, but I try to, you know, be more, be more on the upper side and not to engage myself with any kind of conflict.”
A similar experience was shared by Lynel Arzu, also a member of this year’s graduating class. Bullies targeted her because of her skin color.
Lynel Arzu
Lynel Arzu, Student, Toledo Community College
“My experience with bullying I would say is that I was a part of being discriminated against because of my skin color. It was something hard to deal with because there wasn’t much of my skin color where I used to live. So it was really hard fitting in. And I remember I used to try to go out of my way to make myself be seen or heard because no one really wanted to listen to me or hear my ideas, which were very brilliant. They would always say, Oh, you’re not smart. You’re black. You look like a monkey.”
T.C.C. has a population of over seven hundred students. Vice Principal Joanna Monk explains that while the wellness center and counselors educate students on STIs, teenage pregnancy, bullying, and mental health, she collaborates with parents to address significant student issues.
Joanna Monk
Joanna Monk, Vice Principal, Student Affairs, Toledo Community College
“They come to me when we have, you know, much larger issues that we need to address so we have to reach out to our parents, to solve difficulties that students are having, so we work hand in hand. Now, the Wellness Centre, our counselors, they also do a lot of education on pertinent social issues affecting teenagers; STIs, teenage pregnancy, bullying, you know, mental health awareness, all those things that they are also responsible for engaging students in. I’ve noticed that it’s a post-pandemic issue, particularly the amount of online cyber bullying has increased substantially since the pandemic. I think it was always, if you’re, if you’re my age, you always remember that there was somebody who was trying to steal your money or shove you around, and that was the bullying that we dealt with. But this is very different because this is saying horrible things about people, derogatory things. that really have an impact on people’s mental health.”
The Ministry of Education, through its competency-based curriculum, champions innovative approaches to education, promising a more impactful learning experience. Althea Sanchez is an English teacher who challenges her students to confront bullying.
Althea Sanchez
Althea Sanchez, English Teacher, Toledo Community College “We were discussing a new topic, persuasive writing, and we were talking about the three appeals, Ethos, Pathos, and Logos, and I wanted a project that highlighted the students’ creativity, and also highlighted a social issue that many of our students were facing. And at the time, a lot of bullying videos were coming about, and other scenarios were coming about, and other situations, and I thought we needed something to highlight that issue, especially with our students because they experience it. I said it would be a perfect time to actually showcase that. And send a message out to the school population that bullying is not okay.”
These three persuasive appeals are often used together to create compelling arguments and effectively influence the audience’s beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors.
Jeremiah Logan
“We did ethos, pathos, and logos, whereby the ethos is based upon your character, the pathos is based upon your emotions, and the logos is based upon facts and data.Based upon someone’s character that causes you to want to bully them and your emotions is how you respond to the bullying if you’re aggressive towards it if you’re passive or so and the logos is based upon the facts like if you go and start a problem, some people you would say they fight fire with fire and then they have some whereby they would just walk away. So the outcome of our video was that the person got sent to the principal’s office where they got either expelled or suspended. And then they have in the other videos where the outcome of the bullying was death or suicide or depression or so.”
The assignment proved effective, as the students understood the concept being shared. But what Sanchez did not expect was how moved she would be by the message.
Althea Sanchez
“They were very emotional for me when I watched them. I myself was a student of T.C.C. and I was bullied also. So to see them actually highlighting different aspects of bullying and the fact that they themselves were victims of it really resonated with me and the fact that they and the teachers threw themselves into this project, and they did so excellent, Iit was emotional. It was captivating, and you can see the message being important. I brought it to the attention of our VPSS, Ms. Joanna Monk, the idea I had, and I told her that since we have a Facebook page, I would love if we can showcase the students projects on our Facebook page, to show it on social media, to have the wider population view it and see that you’re not alone when it comes to bullying, and everyone experiences bullying at some level, and there’s ways that you can actually mitigate that.”
Joanna Monk “When I saw the videos, I was so impressed that they really, there was one of them that actually gave me shivers when I saw it. That these are issues that are actually impacting students. And that it’s something we have to absolutely address. We have to identify where students are being bullied, how they’re being bullied, and how we address it.”
The activity provided an opportunity for students to simulate bullying, as well as its effects on victims. The students feel that they’ve created a lasting legacy for generations to come.
Sabreena Daly
“What do you think will be the impact of this project that they carried out?”
Althea Sancez
“I think it links back to the competency base that we’re doing now with the new curriculum. And it’s all about authentic, realistic, showing the kids that you can go beyond the classroom. And that’s what I wanted to showcase with our kids that shows your competency. You have collaboration, you have digital literacy, you have communication, and all of that, I think it works perfectly with what the ministry has aligned for us.”
Sabreena Daly
“So now that you are graduating from the school, a school that has sent a strong message against bullying, how do you feel?”
Lynel Arzu
“I’m so, I’m filled with joy. I actually am because bullying is nothing nice.”
Jeremiah Logan
“Hopefully this helps someone. Hopefully this changes someone’s mentality towards someone else. So I believe we left a great impact and hopefully there’s better to come.”
March twenty-second was celebrated globally as World Water Day, but the conversation about protecting one of our most essential resources should extend beyond a single day. This year, the Public Utilities Commission invited schools across the country to participate in a poetry competition with the theme, “Water for Peace.” Primary school students showcased their talents, reciting spoken word poems that called for the protection of our water resources. One standout entry came from Maya Mopan Government Primary School. With a little over a hundred students, this school delivered a powerful message that captured our attention. Sabreena Daly traveled south to meet the students and learn about their message in this week’s Look on The Bright Side.
Sabreena Daly, Reporting
On hot days or after a day of physical activities, the body yearns for rehydration. Whether it’s ice cold or room temperature, water is a source of survival for every living thing. It’s essential for bodily functions, ecosystems, and agriculture, making its preservation crucial for future generations. Saxil Cho participated in a poetry competition and spoke about the importance of water.
Saxil Cho
Saxil Cho, Student, Maya Mopan Government Primary School
“We drink it to stay strong and well. In baths and showers, we can tell. For plants and animals, it’s a live key. A precious resource for you and me.”
Cho was one of five students from Maya Mopan Government Primary School, who participated in a poetry competition organized by the Public Utilities Commision. Principal Magnolia Pop told us more.
Magnolia Pop
Magnolia Pop, Principal, Maya Mopan Government Primary School
“We wanted to show off the talent of our students here. Because most of the time, sometimes we feel like we are a forgotten school, you know, we are in the rural area. So I think this is the best opportunity for us to show what our students are capable of doing. And again, encouraging them in their writing, especially when it comes to poetry.”
Gia Teck emphasized the importance of protecting larger bodies of water, noting that while we enjoy water for leisure, we must also safeguard it, just as we do with smaller bodies of water.
Gia Teck
Gia Teck, Student, Maya Mopan Government Primary School
“In Belize, by the Caribbean Sea, where water flows so wild and free, children play and laugh with glee as they learn of peace and harmony. Water for Peace, a theme so grand, it teaches us to work hand in hand to protect our rivers, lakes, and sea for a future where peace will always be.”
Stephanie Thomas
Stephanie Thomas, Teacher, Maya Mopan Government Primary School
“They were talking about how important it is for them to keep the water clean. The use of water. For example, for it to water the plants. For them not to waste water. Those were some of the things that they included in their poem.”
Anya Pop
Anya Pop, Student, Maya Mopan Government Primary School
“It’s about what’s happening on Earth and in Belize. There’s violence coming into the world, and that is how we pollute the water. It is violating the water with pollution and littering the water. And if it starts with us taking action to stop littering, and by bringing that action, it will bring it to the world, and we will have peace, like water.”
Enola Boucher
Enola Boucher, Student, Maya Mopan Government Primary School
“In Belize where the water flows, bringing peace to hearts aglow. From the Caribbean sea so wide, the caves where secrets hide. Blue hole deep, mysterious and grand. Maya mountains towering, a majestic land.”
Stephanie Thomas assisted many of the students with writing their poems. She observed that those who participated clearly understand the value of what they expressed.
Stephanie Thomas “They did not take it for granted. One of the reasons why is because like, look at us right now. Water is needed and it’s really hot and what is keeping us active is the water. So, for them, they don’t take it lightly.”
Enola Boucher
“Well, water is part of our earth. It’s part of us as well. Water brings peace to our world. Without water, we wouldn’t be here. We wouldn’t survive. So then water is pretty much part of us, and it brings peace to our countries.”
Sabreena Daly
“So what was it like writing a poem like this to ensure that the public would know that water is peace and it’s important for us to preserve it?”
Enola Boucher
“Well, it was challenging and also interesting at the same time. I had to do some research, but I also had help from my family, my classmates, and my teacher.”
Anya Pop
“Water for peace. In rivers calm, peace finds its place. Oceans gigantic, a tranquil embrace. Each droplet speaks of unity. Let’s guard it with the greatest scrutiny. From kindness springs, let’s draw our sip, and wash away differences in its grip. Hand in hand, let’s spread the call, for water’s peace unites us all. Ki ki ha, se me ti du na, Agua Rica, nice water.”
Stephanie Thomas
“The message behind it is for us to know that as people we should unite together and to keep water, to remind ourselves that water is very important, not only us as people but for the animals, the plant and everything in Belize.”
Daijah Shol urged all Belizeans to do their part in recognizing the importance of water every day.
Daijah Shol
Daijah Shol, Student, Maya Mopan Government Primary School “So let’s conserve and not waste. Water for peace, let’s make it a taste. Let’s share and care for every drop. In Belize, let’s make water our top. So here’s to 2024, Water Day. Let’s celebrate in a big way. Water for peace, let’s all unite. In Belize, let’s make it right.”
Escuela Secundaria Tecnica Mexico has taken strides in fostering inclusivity within its student body through its innovative peer support program. Led by dedicated educators and compassionate students, this initiative aims to empower all learners, including those with special educational needs, to thrive in a supportive environment. These initiatives caught the attention of the Ministry of Education through its More Campaign. For this reason, we made them this week’s look on the Bright Side. Here’s Sabreena Daly with that story.
Sabreena Daly, Reporting
At Escuela Secundaria Tecnica Mexico inclusivity isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a way of life. Through a groundbreaking peer support program, students like Jocelyn Moreno are breaking barriers and fostering connections that transcend labels and limitations.
Jocelyn Moreno
Jocelyn Moreno, Student, Escuela Secundaria Tecnica Mexico “I represent the special needs beyond my half because I know how it is because I suffer with one of their conditions and I know how it is to feel like one of them.”
Moreno’s empathy and understanding make her a valuable resource to her colleagues. As a peer helper, she offers practical advice, a listening ear, and unwavering support, bridging gaps and fostering a sense of belonging for all.
Jocelyn Moreno
“If they need any support, I’m there. If they want to talk to me, they come and they talk to me. I just give them a little advice. Like if they want to know what to do if they’re having a nervous breakdown or when they’re nervous and they have a presentation, I give them some tips.”
Arleen Pelayo, a counselor at ESTM, speaks passionately about the program’s mission to empower students with special educational needs.
Arleen Pelayo
Arleen Pelayo, Counselor, Escuela Secundaria Tecnica Mexico “For the past two years, we have included some SEN students in the program. And the main purpose of the program is to have them work and develop skills and attitudes in order to be able to interact with other students and to be agents of hope, encouragement, and change. It is very important for our students to be equipped with skills, so that they can then in turn act as coaches. Especially here at Escuela Secundaria México, our student population is very big, and so with Shera working in the counseling area, they then allow us the opportunity, or they help us in helping other students when it comes to having that support, no?”
Efforts such as those undertaken by Escuela Secundaria Tecnica exemplify a commitment to doing more, reflecting the principles of the Ministry of Education’s More Campaign. Acting Principal Giannie Gomez, elaborated on the approach, noting that teachers carefully draft lesson plans tailored to accommodate students with special needs.
Giannie Gomez
Giannie Gomez, Acting Principal, Escuela Secundaria Tecnica Mexico
“We’ve been a school of inclusion from day one. We’ve had teachers actually that have tried to find a way to include students that are special needs. We don’t necessarily have the training per se, but every year we have assistance from the Ministry of Education. For example, Ms. Rancharan that comes in and would assist us. Assist in one way or another if teachers have concerns on how to work with special needs students. And Ms. Pelayo is a very important asset when it comes to training and helping teachers and trying to help them to facilitate certain students in the classroom.”
As ESTM continues to champion inclusivity through its peer support program, it serves as a shining example of what can be achieved when differences are celebrated and connections are forged.
Jocelyn Moreno
“I’m very proud of being a part of the ESDM school body as being a peer helper. I like to voice out my opinions and being one of them is a very honor.”
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been highlighting schools nationwide that exemplify the ethos of the Ministry of Education’s More Campaign. This week took us on a trip to Belize River Valley, where King’s College has captured our attention. We discovered a testament to creativity and innovation. Students set out to demonstrate a solution that the world has been discussing, a doomsday event. An out-of-this-world alternative where civilization can exist. Is Mars habitable? Would we be able to produce food on this planet? These are just some of the questions for which we are still gathering scientific evidence to support the future likelihood of life beyond Earth. It takes in-depth research, and we never expected to get some answers from a class of students at King’s College. Illustrating their ingenuity and forward-thinking mindset, lets just say… their presentation was “out of this world’. Sabreena Daly tells us more.
Voice of: Martian King
Voice of: Martian King, Student Narrator “In the not so distant future, humanity had set its sights on the ultimate frontier– Mars. As Earth’s resources dwindled and the need for a backup plan became more urgent, a remarkable plan was set in motion to make the red planet habitable.”
Amid global discussions on the fate of our planet, there emerges a visionary solution—an otherworldly alternative where humanity could potentially thrive: Mars. Is Mars truly habitable? Can we sustainably produce food on its surface? These are just a few inquiries driving our quest for scientific understanding, as we explore the prospect of life beyond Earth. Such endeavors demand extensive research, yet unexpectedly, enlightening insights have emerged from an unlikely source, a group of students at King’s College.
Gwendolin Correa
Gwendolin Correa, Teacher, King’s College “Basically, the prompt was, how would we grow food on Mars? How can we make that a reality? And some research they did do, and it was very extensive because they had to learn about the food, food products, the energy source that they were going to do. How are they going to construct their greenhouse? In the end, they decided to do a film, a film to really engage other students and I would say viewers, because they didn’t want to do a regular PowerPoint presentation. They really wanted to make something entertaining, and this is where the film was born.”
This initiative stemmed from Pathlight International. Recognizing it as a valuable opportunity for exposure, Pedro Reyes, principal of King’s College, enthusiastically encouraged the students to take on the challenge.
Pedro Reyes
Pedro Reyes, Principal, King’s College “I introduced it to the teachers and asked, can we do this? They said definitely, let’s give it a try. It would be a wonderful experience and exposure for our students to learn. So, the teachers pulled a team of students, and the process of the project was really time consuming. Dedication, you know, the students spent a lot of time putting effort and interest into this project.”
Their sci-fi short film vividly portrays the futuristic tale of a scientist awakening from a comatose state in outer space. Upon regaining consciousness, he is greeted by his colleagues who share the many advancements made during his prolonged unconsciousness. The most profound revelation, they are now inhabitants of Mars. Ediel Reyes told us more.
Ediel Reyes
Ediel Reyes, Student, King’s College “It all came to the research. Each one of us had a certain part on my part about the structure of the greenhouse. You know, um, Making it good so that no, um, any contaminated oxygen or thing could affect us. And there were other parts that we’re talking about like. We talked about how long it would take to reach from Earth to Mars.That was basically a lot of information. Every evening we had to research a lot.”
Ithiel Reyes awakens from deep unconsciousness and learns of the developments.
Ithiel Reyes
Ithiel Reyes, Student, King’s College
“I was having a hard time understanding what my colleagues were talking about. Um, this information, the technology and all this stuff there, once you’re waking up from a coma, you’re lost, right? And you don’t have, um, understanding your loss, and it was a very hard time. Processing all of this.”
Johana Pineda
Johana Pineda, Student, King’s College “So my role comes after the doctor. The doctor takes the coma boy to me and my role is to show him where we have our vegetables, the lettuce, the corn and we also had crickets.”
Yet, the question persists: can humanity adapt to inhabiting a world so markedly different from Earth, as we know it? The glaring differences in environmental conditions raise doubts about the human body’s resilience to such extremes. Nevertheless, it appears that the students have discovered an alternative.
Hayyim Torres
Hayyim Torres, Teacher, King’s College
“The main film is just about a group of astronauts that went to Mars and they are going to be the first group to colonize Mars. They built an entire structure underground, not on the surface on Mars, but it is using lava tubes underground. With the research that we did, we actually found that there are gigantic lava tubes and all these structures, these greenhouses were built underground.”
Jenny Perez
Jenny Perez, Student, King’s College “I introduced the The nuclear energy source and how it is the main function and for what we will use it for, which will use it for the electricity and to use thewater from Mars to get water from there and also for oxygen.”
Abigail Pollard
Abigail Pollard, Student, King’s College “Well, my research is that Mars is kind of challenging to grow food on the planet because the soil is very toxic and it’s about 4 percent of the soil that is very toxic to humans. So basically we had to like put a greenhouse on the ground and Since the planet, it has a very thin atmosphere. So in the night, it gets really cold for plants.”
According to King’s College, they did not imagine that the final product would have turned out so well. The students took full advantage of tech support by teaming up with a video production agency. And after eight weeks of grueling research and practicing their lines, these young researchers turned actors, have a final product to be proud of. According to Gwendolin Correa, all they could want is that the students learn while working together.
Gwendolin Correa “I have to say I’m immensely proud of them and their work because they showed that they could apply several skills, not only the research skills, which is very important, but they were also able to collaborate with each other and communicate effectively. Because, you know, when communication doesn’t exist, then some Students might not be willing to do their part, but everyone in our group was able to have a week to be a leader. And all of them showed that theycould be leaders and they could lead.”
Tonight on Belize on Reel, Bravo Motors celebrates its thirtieth anniversary in the local automotive industry. Ahead of participating in an expo this weekend in Spanish Lookout, we teamed up with the company to look at its fleet of Nissan and Isuzu vehicles and what you can expect if you’re interested in purchasing a new ride this weekend. Here’s News Five’s Isani Cayetano with that story.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
Founded in 1994 by Albert Bouloy Jr., Bravo Motors continues to lead the way in auto sales across the country. Over the years, the company has grown significantly. It is presently staffed by thirty-nine employees and they are all dedicated to providing the best customer service experience. The team is led by Zac Bouloy.
Zac Bouloy
Zac Bouloy, Director, Bravo Motors
“We have gotten here by building our business on a foundation of customer service. So, with customer service comes excellent parts support and supplying the vehicles that we have, Nissan and Isuzu. And we’re really proud to be the distributor of these brands here and we have a team that focuses on that customer service.”
Among them is Gerald Faux. He is the head of the Parts Department and has been employed here for the past twelve years. Since landing a job at Bravo Motors, Gerald has worked his way up the ranks within the company.
Gerald Faux
Gerald Faux, Parts Dept., Bravo Motors
“I’ve been here for the past twelve years. I started out as maintenance, cutting the yard, washing the vehicles. I also work with the mechanics and I worked my way up through the, you know, the Parts Department and I managed to take it over, you know, and it’s been a great learning experience so far.”
Along with years of experience comes positive recognition for the work that the team has been able to do when it comes to selling vehicles and automotive parts. Bravo Motors was recently acknowledged by Isuzu for boosting its sales over the past year.
Zac Bouloy
“These awards bring a lot of pride to us and our team because we work very hard every day to ensure that we are serving our people well and to see this recognition come from an international business like Isuzu, it brings a lot of pride as this is an award that’s shown to the entire region, including South America, the Caribbean, and Central America.”
As the Sales & Marketing Manager, Michael Berry is chiefly responsible for driving the sale of vehicles at Bravo. Efficient inventory management ensures that vehicles move off the lot quickly. The company boasts the largest inventory of vehicles of any auto dealer in Belize.
Michael Berry
Michael Berry, Sales & Marketing, Bravo Motors
“Actually, we just got a major award from Isuzu for sales increase in volumes. So that basically means [that] we’ve been ordering more units. As you know, COVID hit basically everywhere and that really decreased the overall volume of ordering vehicles and getting vehicles into the country. And with that, we surpassed that and now we’re at the stage where we’re ordering more vehicles and that gave us a great increase with Isuzu for that particular award and we are happy to say that we have inventory.”
On the lot is a fleet of vehicles, including an Isuzu dump truck. It’s new to the country.
Michael Berry
“We are very excited to launch this new truck. This is an Isuzu SVR Dump. It’s the first of its kind in Belize and we are happy to be partnering with Isuzu to promote this truck. Gone are the days when you used to see old dump trucks running around Belize costing expense. Now we have the new Isuzu line which is going to be good for Belize in terms of low cost maintenance. We stock parts, availability, everything for these vehicles so you could rest assured that buying a product from us that you have our support.”
Having the right cars available at the right time is crucial. It helps to maintain a diverse selection while minimizing costs.
Zac Bouloy
“We focus on what we do best. So we look at what our suppliers do best and we ensure that we import our products in volumes and we import our parts in volumes so that we can support our customers as best as possible. With our competitive edge, we look at what our competitors maybe can’t supply and that has led us to be one of the number one suppliers of pickup trucks in Belize, the number one choice for commercial vehicles in Belize. The Isuzu commercial truck is second to none and Isuzu diesel vehicles are second to none. And in Belize, the road shows that. There are a lot of Isuzus on the road and we are proud to say that we have built that brand here in Belize.”
And this weekend, Bravo is taking its vehicles on the road.
Michael Berry
“We will be at the Spanish Lookout Expo, so lookout for our inventory out there.”
Zac Bouloy
“Out at the expo, we’re going to be bring out our A-game. We’re bringing out our full lineup of Isuzu D-Max, MUX, and commercial vehicles, well as the Nissan lineup. The Nissan Frontier and Nissan Kicks. We’re also going to have our exciting merchandise that we have introducing this year which is going to be the Nissan and Isuzu Bravo thirtieth anniversary quencher mugs.”
In a remarkable display of commitment to the Ministry of Education’s More Campaign, Victorious Nazarene School is once again in the news showcasing the community of Succotz as a beacon of inclusivity and setting an example for institutions across Belize. In this week’s Look on the Bright Side, we returned to Benque Viejo where we met another teacher doing “More” this time by being inclusive. How? That’s what we want you to see.
Sabreena Daly, Reporting
Victorious Nazarene School has been redefining education, breaking barriers, and leading the charge in the Ministry of Education’s More Campaign. In our initial story, we shared how this rural school uses artificial Intelligence to teach programming, a sophisticated aspect of computer science. This time around, however, we stopped at a classroom where we met Shereece Sabal, a teacher, engaging her students in sign language. She took on this initiative when she learned that she would be teaching a student with special needs.
Shereece Sabal
Shereece Sabal, Teacher, Victorious Nazarene School
“I had no idea that I had a student that couldn’t talk. So when they told me, I said, now what will happen because I don’t know sign language. So from then we had to have to put different things in place to make sure that he gets everything that he needs from me. And he’s included in every subject that we, um, that I teach here.”
Sabal’s commitment to inclusivity is not only evident in her words, but in the vibrant classroom atmosphere that she has cultivated. Learning sign language was not just a task for her; it was a commitment to ensuring that everyone, including her special needs student, is an integral part of the learning journey.
Shereece Sabal “This for me was a huge It’s a huge task to take on. First, I have to teach myself how to sign. And then include not only him, but all the other students. Because they also help, right? Because if I am busy or doing something with another student, then they’ll be able to help him if need be.”
Principal Shirley Humes, the guiding force behind Victorious Nazarene School’s inclusive ethos, sheds light on the school’s dedication to embracing diversity.
Shirley Humes
Shirley Humes, Principal, Victorious Nazarene School “We strongly believe in, in inclusion. And we believe that every child deserves a chance, despite their need. And, um, like I mentioned, you know, this is, it’s a, it’s a great challenge because signing is not easy. And you need to be a specialist to be able to sign. However, that, um, did not keep us away from not being able to, to take him in.”
What sets Victorious Nazarene apart is not just a commitment to inclusion, but the student body genuinely embracing diversity. When the Ministry of Education learned of this, it acknowledged the effort and shared that this is a prime example of doing more.
Dian Maheia
Dian Maheia, Chief Education Officer, MOECST “That sort of inspiration is really what moves me and I think it’s what moves our team at the Ministry of Education. That’s why being more inclusive is one of our core pillars under the more campaign because to show that you have that level of consideration for someone else. That you will go beyond what is expected. It really doesn’t diminish your capacity. You’re thinking more of someone else, and you’re building your own capacity. That teacher and those students have learned way more than sign language. They have learned to be better human beings. And that’s what we want. We want them to be more for Belize.”
That remarkable revelation unfolded not only through the teacher’s enthusiasm to making life easier for the hearing-impaired student, but also through the commitment of his classmates, who eagerly embraced the challenge of learning sign language.
Sabreena Daly
“What was your reaction to seeing the other students embrace learning sign language to communicate with their classmate?”
Shereece Sabal
“Well, in the beginning, it was very surprising. Because when I would sit back and I see them doing the little signs to him, I was like, well, I don’t know. It was very surprising for me. It was a great feeling. And then again, that motivated me more to teach them more so they can communicate with him more.”
Shirley Humes “That’s the beauty about Victoria’s Nazarene: our students embrace our children no matter what their condition is. And that’s what I’ve seen from his classmates. They embrace him, they help him along, and that has been the reaction from the students ever since preschool. They have been there, um, and I must say there are even parents who have sent their children with him. To sign in class to be able to help him out.”
In this week’s installment of The Bright Side, we traveled to Succotz, where we discovered the first school to earn the Wow factor by truly embodying the spirit of doing more. The MORE campaign stands out as one of the Ministry of Education’s most comprehensive and thrilling initiatives to date. Embracing five fundamental pillars, the campaign challenges schools to demonstrate their commitment to being more digital, more healthy, more involved, more inclusive, and more creative and innovative. Sabreena Daly tells us more.
Sabreena Daly, Reporting
Jianny Humes is a standard six student who shared with me her love of animation. It was after sitting in her first computer science class in standard four that she realized her interest in animation transitioned to technology in its entirety.
Jianny Humes
Jianny Humes, Student, Victorious Nazarene School “I like watching animation videos about how people use characters to animate. And then, we started getting computer classes in standard four, and that’s when I started to develop most of my interest in this class. We’ve been learning how to program. One of the things we’re doing is we’re almost gonna finish the course. So we’re doing course F right now. And we’re using artificial intelligence to try to figure out what happens if we do something wrong or we program it wrong, wrongly.”
Jeremy Yacab has a similar interest. He shared his understanding of the concept of artificial intelligence and its functions.
Jeremy Yacab
Jeremy Yacab, Student, Victorious Nazarene School “I like Computer Science. It’s one of my favorite subjects, to say.AI means artificial intelligence and it is all about putting information to the computer and it will detect what information you’re putting and what you’re not.”
Both of these students are enrolled at Victorious Nazarene Primary School in San Jose Succotz, Cayo District.
Under the tutelage of Amilcar Vasquez, the students are delving into artificial intelligence where they gain insight not only into the fundamentals, but also the diverse methods through which users can effectively prompt AI to execute instructions.
Amilcar Vasquez
Amilcar Vasquez, Computer Science Teacher, Victorious Nazarene School
“We were looking a little bit at machine learning and how data is used to train computers, and we were basically touching the fundamental concepts of being able to train the computer the right way. So what I did was I purposely asked them to train it the wrong way and see if their program, their AI gave the desired outcome, which they noticed it didn’t. So they went back and trained it properly. And a lot of big concepts come into mind, you have the power to do things the right way.”
An educator of fourteen years, Vasquez has been with the institution since the beginning of his career, teaching primarily information technology. He asserts the numerous advantages associated with exposing students to IT at the earliest possible stage.
Amilcar Vasquez, Computer Science Teacher, Victorious Nazarene School
“The direct benefit is definitely how they can accomplish better things at the high school level. I always have my students come back and say, you know what, I went to high school and it was a breeze. But when they don’t get information technology at the primary level, they struggle from high school. And in university, I’ve heard university professors say, you know, there are students taking Programming 1, Programming 2 classes, five times over because they simply don’t have the fundamentals, the basics.”
While the basics of Information Technology have been offered at this institution for over a decade, Belize’s education system has shifted to embracing technology through the inclusion of computer science and technology into its national curriculum. Shirley Humes is the principal at Victorious Nazarene and shared what this meant to the institution.
Shirley Humes
Shirley Humes, Principal, Victorious Nazarene School “Before the computer science and technology curriculum was implemented into the curriculum, we had embraced IT, which is information technology; teaching our students just the basics of how computers work. So that was like an extracurricular for us. But when computer science and technology was implemented into the curriculum, we embraced it because we saw that our students could have taken advantage of what was being offered, something very new to our country, something very new to our school curriculum. We have a lot of our students who are rural, they come from rural areas. And they don’t have the opportunity to explore with a device or to be able to use a device at home. So this would be the only place where that can happen. And it has paid off because we have seen many of our past students going into high school and excelling and doing well because a lot of the things that they have to do for their work is digital. So it was something that we thought would benefit our students.”
The Ministry of Education recently unveiled its ambitious MoRe Campaign, aimed at inspiring educators and institutions to elevate their commitment to student development and revolutionize education in Belize. MoRe is anchored by five pillars – fostering greater creativity and innovation, deepening involvement, promoting health, championing inclusivity, and embracing digital advancement – the ministry keenly acknowledges that Victorious Nazarene, a school in a rural community, has been embodying the spirit of “MoRe” long before the campaign’s inception.
Dian Maheia
Dian Maheia, C.E.O., Ministry of Education
“The MORE campaign is easily one of the most comprehensive, exciting campaigns that the Ministry of Education has ever run. Actually, it’s what we call an umbrella campaign because It has five pillars and the five pillars really encompass just about everything right now that schools are doing and the purpose of the more campaign is quite simply to showcase what schools are doing so that we can encourage schools, students, teachers, communities to do more and to be more for Belize. Who would have thought that the first feature under the pillar of “Be More Digital” would come from a rural school and what we’ve seen at that school is just a fantastic effort from the teacher, from the principal, the way that they’ve embraced the code.org curriculum. It’s being taught from Standard 2 to Standard 6 at that school.”
For students like Jeremy and Jianny, they’ve expressed that the knowledge they’ve gained will be of use as they further their education. But the reality is that in rural communities like Succotz, there are a considerable number of students who do not progress beyond primary education. In response to this challenge, Victorious Nazarene is committed to providing its students with a comprehensive education, ensuring that they are armed with every conceivable advantage for their future endeavors.
Jeremy Yacab, Student, Victorious Nazarene School “Well, I could use it farther when I go to high school.”
Sabreena Daly
“Do you feel like you’ll be prepared for high school when it comes to what you’ve been learning so far?”
Jeremy Yacab
“Yeah, because I really want to go to high school.”
Amilcar Vasquez, Computer Science Teacher, Victorious Nazarene School
“I always say this: What if, and it happens, what if one of my students doesn’t go to high school anymore? Are they prepared to face the real world with just what I taught? And that brings a lot of questions to us because it might be unheard of, maybe in the urban areas, but it does happen. You know, for example, in Succotz and villages, some of them graduate and go right on to life. So we want to prepare them for both.”
