A gift that will allow a young Honduran girl to finish the remainder of her school year at a bilingual school has been approved by the Suttons Bay-Leelanau County Rotary Club.

Elisa Berenice Villela

The board of directors on June 14 approved a $400 award to first grader Elsa Berenice Villela that will allow her to complete the school year at the Mayatan School in Copan Ruinas, Honduras.

The girl also has two brothers attending the school, requiring that her parents make sacrifices to ensure the children remain enrolled and receive a bilingual education.
George Ball, a Rotary board member who traveled to the country last year, said bilingual educations are not typically provided in the country, which is the second-poorest in Central America.

“It’s the most important thing you can give someone,” said Ball, adding he’d like to make gifts to the school part of the local Rotary chapter’s annual budget.