GRANADA EDUCATION

PROGRAM

HISTORY

The Fútbol Sin Fronteras Granada Programa Educativo (SWB Granada Education Program) was established in 2014 in memory of a young man who exhibited all of the characteristics of a well-rounded student-athlete: humility, dedication to school and team, integrity, hard work, care for self and others. The program was established in his honor by his family to provide educational and financial support to girls in FSF who have dedicated themselves to learning, to their team, and to their futures.

WHAT WE DO

We implement a two-tiered educational support system for participants that addresses the barriers to secondary school completion:

Tier 1

Accessible to all participants

Material support for school uniforms (public and private) and educational supplies earned through participation in SWB activities. Daily homework hours with access to computers, art supplies, internet, and tutors.

Tier 2

Accessible to selected participants

Secondary school scholarships for matriculation fees, full uniform and educational supplies. Mandatory tutoring and advising hours and quarterly progress reports.

PURPOSE

To facilitate positive secondary school outcomes for the participants of Fútbol Sin Fronteras (Soccer Without Borders) Granada through a system of financial, academic, and socio-emotional support that empowers participants to overcome barriers to success.

How are scholarship recipients selected?

The minimum eligibility to apply for an FSF scholarship (or "beca" in Spanish) is:

must be in or entering secondary school
must have maintained at least 50% attendance in program activities during the previous season (ie. 2+ days/week)
must have achieved at least 70% grade average on the previous year's report card, with no failing (60% or below) grades.

All eligible program participants are encouraged to apply, and applications are accepted twice annually. The scholarship application itself is scored on a 100 point system, with 70 points earning a scholarship. All participants who reach that threshold are awarded a scholarship; girls do not compete with one another for limited slots. The balance of the point system and weight of each of five areas (contribution to team, need, personal statement, demonstrated character, complete application including home visit) is based on research from local, national, and international scholarship programs, as well as feedback from local coaches and six years of program experience in Granada.

Why secondary school?

While the primary school enrollment rate for Nicaraguan girls is 85%, the secondary school enrollment rate is just 45%.
The attendance rate for Nicaraguan girls in primary school is 83.6%, yet in secondary school it drops to 57.9%, meaning girls miss more than 2 days per week of school on average each week.
The school life expectancy for a Nicaraguan girl is 10.2 years.
48% of Nicaraguan girls are pregnant by age 20, with 28% to girls age 14-18. This rate is much lower for girls who stay in school.
Expected lifetime income increases by 15-25% per additional year of secondary school.

What are the barriers of completion?

Cost of uniforms and school supplies, even at public schools
Lost income for family/need to work
Responsibilities in the home so that parents can work (care for siblings, cleaning, watching the house)
Lack of incentive for long-term visioning and planning
Teen pregnancy
Precedent/peer group
Health issues causing high absence rate
Lack of academic support once behind