Project Description.  This project offers an excellent outlet for tax deductible donations, since sponsors will be assured that with whatever amount they donate, they would have made a big difference in the life of an economically handicapped but talented student in the hinterlands of the Philippine Cordilleras. In addition, sponsors will be helping St. Mary's School of Sagada [SMSS] continue with its mission of dispensing quality Christian education to the Igorots and related people of Northern Luzon. They will be helping a marginalized people catch up with the rest of the world.

Starting school year 2005, the SMSS school administration will be focused on implementing the school curriculum called forth by its 5-Year Development Plan. While the school curriculum more than covers the basic building blocks of a quality-education creation program, it is expected that its appeal to parents is still not as enticing for them to forego the free public schools and enroll their children in SMSS which will definitely be charging tuition fees to sustain its operations.

The school needs scholarship funding to attract talented students not only from Sagada but more so from interior municipalities and  barrios in the Philippine Cordilleras. These are the best hope for SMSS to establish a reputation of a source of good quality education for economically handicapped but talented students. Talented students are the most likely students by which SMSS can translate its curriculum into the limelight of academic excellence. Once SMSS has reclaimed its reputation as a good quality source of education, it is hoped that parents will be motivated to send their school to SMSS even if they have to pay tuition fees. The school is, therefore, appealing to alumni and friends to make sponsorship of SMSS scholars a top priority in their support and/or fund-raising involvement during the next four years as they implement the new school curriculum described in the 5-Year Development Plan.

Cost Per Student Estimate [per email dated 12/14/2006 by school principal Dennis Faustino ]:

Sponsorship Options.

Two or more individuals can pool their donations/contributions to fully or partially sponsor a student. If you are partially sponsoring a student you may specifically identify what cost you are donating to - i. e., annual tuition fees, room and board, required clothing, school supplies, or a combination of the above-described items. However, any amount is welcome [i. e., coin collections, a dollar, two dollars, etc..].

Please click on the  "Sponsor A Student Brochure" to read more details on the Sponsor a Student Program. Cost estimates in this brochure do not include room and board. Cost estimate differences are due largely to differences in the "Philippine Peso to US Dollar" exchange rates used. Lita and company, you may want to update this brochure to synchronize with the latest estimate from the SMSS Principal, Dennis Faustino.

Project Status. A working committee on the SAS project was formed to lead and coordinate the funding campaign for this project. Alumni and friends are encouraged to join this endeavor. Please click on "Sponsor A Student Funding Assistance Committee" to read the task, current committee chair, and nominated / suggested members of this committee.

For School year 2005-2006 the committee was able to generate $ 5,810.71 for the Sponsor A Student Project. See: SAS Sponsors and Pledges

For other help options, click on any of the hereunder hyperlinks: