Starbucks Partners See Positive Change for Children in Guatemala First-Hand Starbucks has partnered with Save the Children to help bring quality education programs to some of the poorest indigenous populations in Guatemala through teacher trainings, learning materials, community mobilization and a radically different approach to teaching, which makes the classroom highly interactive for the children.  This project is called the Guatemala Education Initiative. The purpose of the Guatemala Education Initiative is to create and enhance educational opportunities for children in rural Guatemala. Through the generosity of Starbucks, in partnership with Save the Children, eight Starbucks partners (employees) from across the United States were chosen to travel to Guatemala to observe firsthand the positive changes that are taking place. The group visited two rural Mayan elementary schools in Huehuetenango. The school buildings were simple concrete block structures, but the classrooms were filled with colorful artwork and exciting instructional materials. The teachers skillfully demonstrated their new interactive, interdisciplinary approaches. For example, students in one classroom were busy setting up a marketplace, using their desks to display their goods. Some had musical instruments and toys to sell, while others had fruits, vegetables, coffee and beans. They practiced counting, handling money, buying and selling techniques, and organizational skills.  When these children enter school, the only language they know is their native Mayan. Their instruction begins in Mayan, with a gradual bilingual introduction to Spanish. The Guatemala Education Initiative allowed educational specialists to develop teaching materials and methods specifically for this population. Starbucks partners made contributions to purchase library materials and to refurbish playground equipment. The team of travelers had the privilege of unpacking and cataloging over 900 books for the library and turning the plain playground into a rainbow of bright colors. As champions for the Guatemala Education Initiative, the partners received much more than they were able to give, according to Kathy, a barista from Tacoma, WA.   "The school children performed native dances, sang songs, and presented each of us with baskets of fruit and artwork. The parents and teachers prepared some of their finest native dishes to share with us," Kathy said.  "The greatest gift to us, however, was the opportunity to see positive changes in the lives of these wonderful new friends."