Playa del Carmen's KKiS Project (Keeping Kids in Schools) will be holding their 2nd Annual Charity Auction on February 28th, from 11:00 am - 2:30 pm at Wah Wah Beach Bar. This fundraising event will be a Luncheon with Open Bar and an exciting LIVE auction with all proceeds going to support KKiS efforts in 2013.

Event tickets are $20 USD or $250 pesos and will be for sale beginning February 1st. Tickets are available from any of the KKiS Board members or friends of the Board or you can contact Gayle Collins at kkisproject@gmail.com. If you are planning to attend, please consider bringing along a few school supplies for this kids. Those that would like to make a donation but can't attend the auction may do so via Paypal using the email address kkisproject@gmail.com. 

This is the only fundraiser that KKiS puts on during the year. The 2012 KKiS Charity Auction raised over $8100 USD for the project, an enormous success for this fledgling organization. Please help KKiS meet their goal of helping 500 children this year!

Playa del Carmen KKiS Project

The organizers are now looking for donations for the auction. Popular auctions items include:

  • Hotel Stays
  • Vacation Rentals 
  • Spa Services
  • Bar & Restaurant Gift Certificates
  • Tours & Excursions
  • Fishing Charters
  • Jewelery
  • Artwork
  • Home Furnishings - new or very gently used
  • Photo Sessions
  • Gym Memberships
  • Yoga Classes
  • Transport Services

If you or your business would like to contribute an item or service for the auction please contact Gayle Collins via email kkisproject@gmail.com. If you have items that require pick up, that can be easily arranged. If you know of anyone who might like to participate in or make a donation for this event, please point them toward this blog post.

Playa del Carmen Keeping Kids in School

About KKiS: The goal of KKiS is to keep kids enrolled in school by supplying uniforms, providing school supplies and backpacks, securing English language materials for the classroom and providing volunteers for the classrooms to help students learn English.

The reasons students don't stay in school are varied and complex. One of the biggest obstacles families face is the financial burden of purchasing required uniforms, books and school supplies. The support provided by KKiS will mean the difference between a child leaving school after completing elementary school or perhaps being able to complete secondaria and even moving on to preparatoria and beyond!

Currently, KKiS is working in cooperation with Pelopides School, an elementary school in the under-served Guadalupana neighborhood in the northwest quadrant of Playa del Carmen. The school is run by the La Salle organization of the Catholic Church. While it is a private institution, Pelopides was selected because they are one of the few schools to provide financial scholarships their students. At the moment, 50% of their student population is afforded reduced or free tuition, known here as "becas". Some students only require a partial subsidy while others have their tuition covered in full. These students often come to school without the required school supplies and, therefore, can't keep up with their peers.

Throughout the year, KKiS solicits and manages donations of age appropriate English language books, backpacks, paper, pencils, pens and other school supplies to be distributed to underprivileged students. Funds are raised to provide uniforms and necessary classroom equipment and materials.

KKiS Playa del Carmen 

This school teaches English to all students for half of the day, a skill that is essential for later job placement and advancement. The school administrators have welcomed KKiS volunteers into their classrooms to help students learn English by reading to them. In this fast changing and interconnected world students need a bilingual education to understand and communicate global and local societal needs and issues. This is especially true in Playa del Carmen where an international community resides and compensation for work depends in part on understanding multiple languages. Every Wednesday, English speaking KKiS volunteers read to small groups of students, a visit that is enjoyed by the volunteers as much as the students!

 

Michele Kinnon

 
I moved to Mexico with my family in 2004 with the hope of offering our children a more global education and world view. Since then, we have traveled through Mexico, Belize and Guatemala, gathering friends and life experiences and learning a lot about ourselves along the way. When we are not out and about exploring, Rob and I own and operate BuyPlaya, a Playa del Carmen real estate company and FurnitureMex. "Life's a Beach" is a catch-all blog where you may find anything from restaurant reviews, to recipes, gardening tips, commentary about expat daily life, local events, information about moving to Mexico and educating children in Playa del Carmen. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter and .