Español

Education Services, Supplies and Scholarships

 

Education is not a priority in all areas of Mexico. 

Here in the Riviera Maya, school is not free after 9th grade.

As many as 30% of all students drop out to go to work 

and provide financial help for the family.

This results in students never being able to move beyond low level employment and salaries, perpetuating poverty for another generation. 

Our ongoing projects – Tiny Hearts, Feeding the Future, Kicks4Kids, International Projects, and Clean Water – gives our local children and family the supports needed to be born healthy and stay healthy so they can go to school. 

Then we take the last step in shaping the future of those healthy kids in our community by supplying the needed education services, supplies and scholarships. 

To do this, Seaside Rotary partners with another nonprofit in Playa del Carmen called KKIS (Keeping Kids In School).  KKIS is focused exclusively on education.  KKIS works tirelessly to identify students who are motivated, capable, and committed to maintaining the high academic standards required for scholarship eligibility. 

  • Each summer, Seaside Rotary completes Adopt a Classroom projects for needed furntiture, equipment and supplies.
  • Each fall, Seaside packs and delivers backpacks filled with the needed school supplies.
  • And, every year, Seaside Rotary provides 3 to 5 students with KKIS scholarships. 

These scholarships are more than just financial aid—they are a lifeline for students who dream of completing high school (preparatoria) and even pursuing a university degree, but who might not have the means to do so without support. Our Seaside students often excel beyond high school, with many being accepted into universities to study in fields they are passionate about. Attaining a high school, and possibly a university scholarship, paves the way for our Scholars to Dream Big! and break the poverty cycle. 

Our goal is to see them graduate and step confidently into their chosen careers, contributing positively to their families and communities.

A Message from a Seaside Rotary 2025 KKIS Graduate

Gloria Espinosa was a student with KKIS for 7 years (3 in high school, 4 in university) sponsored by Seaside Rotary.  She shared this story with KKIS about her life as a university graduate.
 
“I want to share how all the sacrifices I made during my studies – the sleepless nights, the canceled plans with friends, and even the challenge of studying online during the pandemic – were truly worth it. Throughout my career and especially during these past two years working in IT, I’ve realized how much I’ve grown. University gave me a foundation, but the real world has pushed me to expand my knowledge, improve my skills and strengthen my ability to solve problems.
 
In my job, I work mostly with databases, which I really enjoy, and I’ve learned to explore, configure servers, clean and maintain networks far beyond what I learned in school. These experiences have shaped me in ways I never expected.
 
Today, I find myself living something I never imagined: traveling abroad for work. I’m currently in the Dominican Republic on my second international IT assignment, and soon — depending on how the project continues — I may even visit Jamaica. This still feels unreal to me. Two years ago, right after graduating, I would have never thought I’d be working outside of Mexico.
 
Learning English has also opened many doors for me. Even though people say “English opens opportunities” over and over, I’ve learned firsthand that it is absolutely true.
 
Most importantly, I feel deep gratitude toward The KKIS Project. Without their support, I don’t think I would have reached university, let alone be where I am today. I truly believe people cross our paths for a purpose, and KKIS has fulfilled that purpose in my life — helping me grow, study, and achieve things I never imagined. I know there are many other scholarship students like me who are also reaching goals they once thought impossible.
 
I’m proud of how far I’ve come, and I’m excited for what’s ahead.”