The East Cape Guild, a Mexican non-profit corporation, was established in 1997 to provide scholarships to local students to attend high school. Once a student has completed secondaria (through the US equivalent of the 9th grade), costs for school become the responsibility of the family. Tuition, transportation, and other costs can approach $500 USD annually and are very difficult for some of the families to support, especially if they have more than one child in school. To determine who will receive the much sought after becas (scholarships), the Guild sends applications to the secondaria and preparatoria schools. The students must submit the application in Spanish, as well as in English, along with proof of their grades and a letter of recommendation from a teacher or other non-related person. To receive a scholarship in subsequent years the student must maintain at least a level of 8 (out of 10) in each of their classes. The becas are awarded based on high academic achievement as well as financial need. Every year the Guild receives more applications than it has enough money to fund and it is very discouraging to disappoint a student who has worked hard to maintain their grades. To find out how you can support these students please see our "To Donate" page.

2007 was the 10th anniversary year for the East Cape Guild and it was also the most rewarding year for our fundraising efforts. Thank you to all of you who made generous cash donations, bought cookbooks, played golf or bocce ball, or reveled at the November gala. These donations and events resulted in a record amount of money being collected and will help the Guild support more students in the coming year. Increasing the education level of our local students not only improves their lives, but improves the overall economy of our area. To those of you who have made this area your home or second home, we hope that you will become aware of the social concerns of this area and choose to become active in helping meet the needs of the community. The Guild welcomes your support and hopes that you can continue to contribute whether it is through financial donations or through volunteer involvement. All meetings of the East Cape Guild are open to all who want to learn more about how they can impact the lives of those in our community.