Dominican Episcopal schoolchild works on assignments at home with assistance from online teachers
How Colegio Kids Began
In 2001, the heart of Lincoln native, Jack Keester, was forever touched by the warm, friendly people of the Dominican Republic. The children were most special to Jack as they dreamed to be much more than the limited opportunities of their surrounding offered them. Jack firmly believed that education was the key to breaking the chains of poverty that prevents the DR from establishing a more acceptable standard of living for its people. Education in a good private school is the path a child in the DR must take to prepare for the university and a professional career.
Jack took a very brave step in 2001 to form a 501(c)(3) organization called Colegio Kids. The mission of Colegio Kids is to support the programs of the Diocese of the Episcopal Church of the DR through assistance in education and health issues. In addition to providing scholarships and aiding school projects, Colegio Kids assists in the health programs of Clinica Esperanza y Caridad and Centro Buen Pastor.
Since 2001, under Jack’s leadership, Colegio Kids has:
1. Provided 1,365 scholarships to primary and secondary school students.
2. Provided over 200 scholarships to students at a local university.
3. Completely renovated the bathroom facilities for the 600 students at Colegio San Esteban.
4. Assisted a Lincoln, Nebraska Rotary Club with the following:
5. Establishing a matching grant program, resulting in over $200,000 in medical equipment for Clinica Esperanza.
6. Provided school supplies, cooking equipment, clothing and computer lab to a small school in a migrant labor camp.
7. Provided a source of clean drinking water to a poor barrio.
8. Provided a connection for emergency electrical power to Colegio San Esteban.
9. Arranged and funded shipment of 20,000 books in Spanish valued at $150,000 for the Episcopal school system of 23 schools and over 5000students.
10. Provided dental care for more than 200 students.
11. Funded 400 new school desks.
Teachers in a Dominican Episcopal school learn online teaching methods
An Urgent Need Prevails Now!
Can you help Colegio Kids? Mission work in the Dominican Republic is an important part of the ministry life of the Diocese of Nebraska which shares a Companion Diocese relationship with the DR. Individual sponsors are the heart of this vital program.
A full sponsorship costs $350 and provides a needy student the opportunity of education for one year with an important health examination. No donation is too small! Gifts of less than $350 are pooled to provide scholarship support.
Dr. Tom McGowan meets with leadership faculty at a Dominican Episcopal school
New Leadership
Dr. Tom McGowan and Ellen Snow, both from the Diocese of Nebraska, assumed the leadership of Colegio Kids in 2020 so that this important work can continue. As an educator Dr. McGowan, Colegio Kids Board Director, travels several times a year to the DR to conduct workshops and seminars with other educators for the teachers in the Dominican colegios. Ellen Snow, a former missionary in the Dominican Republic, serves as Board Treasurer.
Ellen and Bob Snow in their apartment in Santo Domingo, 2012
Are you called to help? Donations can be forwarded to Colegio Kids c/o St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church at 2325 South 24th Street, Lincoln, NE 68502.
Together, we do make a difference!!!