The Santo Domingo School is the largest school in the center of the municipality of Chiltiupan. It has an enrollment of almost 900 students with 30 faculty and staff members. The Santo Domingo School, run by Sister Irma Molina, is the crown jewel of the 15 schools in the municipality. Because Santo Domingo offers an excellent education and has the resources (thanks to support from St. Dominic) that others schools do not, many students elect to walk several hours to attend Santo Domingo School. These students often come from very poor families in rural, remote areas of the parish. They often arrive at school without having eaten breakfast. Many are too poor to eat dinner. Without basic nutrition, it is hard for students to concentrate, study, and thrive.
Sr. Irma, principal of Santo Domingo School, has developed a school lunch program to feed the poorest students who often travel the farthest distances to attend school. Thanks to the efforts St. Dominic parishioner, Mary Harvey, we have secured corporate grants totaling nearly $50,000 over the past six years to provide school lunches for these poor students.
Sr. Irma and the school staff share that students are more attentive, healthier, and better learners because of the school lunches.