When now-high-schooler Jessenia first started 7th grade at Colegio Horizontes in 2022, she was struggling academically: The COVID-19 pandemic had disrupted her education, and she was testing at a kindergarten reading level. With the support of Limitless Horizons Ixil’s trained teachers and mentors, Jessenia’s reading proficiency shot up to meet her grade level within two years, and the rest of her academics and a strong sense of self-confidence followed.
In November of 2024, Jessenia graduated from middle school alongside 22 of her classmates, no small feat in Chajul where only 11% of the population can boast this achievement. For Jessenia, this milestone was even more significant: she became the first person in her immediate family to graduate from middle school.
A New Era: High School at Colegio Horizontes
Now in 10th grade, Jessenia is in her first year of high school at Colegio Horizontes. She is testing at grade level and especially enjoying her new classes like philosophy, chemistry, and physics. For the first time in Chajul, Jessenia and her classmates have access to the region’s first and only science lab, a resource few students in the country get to experience. It’s here, in her 10th grade chemistry class, that Jessenia is discovering the magic of hands-on science for the very first time: “We recently got to extract DNA from a banana which was really fun and interesting since it was totally new for me!”
Beyond Academics: Socioemotional Support through Mentorship
In addition to rigorous academics, Colegio Horizontes provides holistic wraparound support, recognizing that emotional health and well-being are essential to academic success. As a result of this holistic approach, 93% of students report feeling safe, empowered, connected, and productive at school.
By the time Jessenia entered high school this January, her mentor Olga—herself a Limitless Horizons Ixil alumna—had helped her build lasting self-confidence. She learned to advocate for herself, turn to trusted people for support, and persevere through challenges. These core competencies, woven into classes and mentorship sessions at Colegio Horizontes, shape how Jessenia shows up in class, at home, and in her community: “Before I started middle school at Colegio Horizontes, I didn’t even know what emotions were. Now, I’ve learned how to talk about them,” says Jessenia. “I’ve even noticed changes in my mom. We both regulate our emotions and communicate better now.”
This personal growth inspired Jessenia’s career aspirations. She now dreams of becoming a psychologist so she can return to Colegio Horizontes as a mentor, continuing the cycle of empowerment in her community.
Building Digital Skills for a Changing World
In Chajul, limited internet access and technology scarcity are common. When Jessenia started middle school, she had never touched a computer. Today, thanks to Colegio Horizontes’ technology class and lab, Jessenia is now learning digital literacy, coding, and how to use technology to solve real-world problems.
Her teacher, Cecilia Xinix—the first Indigenous woman from Chajul to pursue a master’s degree in information technology—has been an especially inspiring guide, helping Jessenia and her peers build skills they never imagined they could master, while showing them what’s possible for Indigenous women in tech: “I love learning from Cecilia because she understands where we come from,” Jessenia says. “She makes technology feel exciting and possible. I can’t believe that just a few years ago I couldn’t even turn on a computer.”
Preparing for the Future: Career Pathways and Community Leadership
Jessenia is also developing a clearer vision for her future through her new high school Career Pathways class, led by Ilaria Itzep, herself a Chajul native and first-generation college graduate. This course helps students identify their skills, explore career options, and prepare for university entrance exams or vocational training.
“I already knew I wanted to be a mentor, and one of the careers that matched my interests was psychology. That’s when I realized the connection between my dreams and the possible careers I could pursue,” Jessenia explains.
While Ilaria helps Jessenia map out her next steps and envision herself in a professional career, teacher Nohemí Pérez is guiding high schoolers to become local changemakers through another new course: Community Projects. This class builds on the entrepreneurship curriculum Jessenia has followed since 7th grade, while diving deeper into creative problem-solving, local leadership, and project management skills with practical applications. As part of this class, Jessenia is working with fellow high schoolers to organize a project in Chajul that provides a solution to the town’s growing trash problem, transforming classroom lessons into tangible community impact.
Whether students dream of starting a small business, pursuing a university degree, or launching a community initiative, Colegio Horizontes is equipping them with the tools and confidence they need to take action.
The Future We’re Building Together
In Chajul, where fewer than 5% of youth complete high school, Jessenia’s trajectory is a powerful testament to what’s possible with the right support. Jessenia is discovering the magic of chemistry in the region’s first science lab. She’s coding with the guidance of the first Indigenous woman from her community to study a master’s in Information Technology. She’s learning to plan and manage community projects to tackle local problems. And she’s preparing for college and a professional career with support from another first-generation college graduate. Jessenia’s future is clearer and her options more limitless than ever before.
This is what it looks like when we invest in the success of each individual student, meeting them where they are with the education, nutrition, and socioemotional support they need to thrive.
This is the future we’re building, together.