The Palapa Society is excited to announce that tickets are now available for our first annual Masquerade Ball. This special fundraising event will be held at La Siempre Viva farm-to-table restaurant in Pescadero. They are providing us with a wonderful meal in a unique and beautiful location. Join us for an evening of food, music, prizes, and fun.

April 1, 2023

SiempreViva

Farm to Table Experience

Pescadero

6 - 9 PM

Live Music with Pargazz

$3,000 MXN

Masquerade masks will be available for people who would like them. Feel free to dress in masquerade outfits or elegant clothing. Prizes for best costumes. Costumes not required.

Space is limited. Be sure to buy your tickets in advance.

Dinner Menu

*Meal selections must be made at online ticket checkout.

Reception

Blue Cheese Bruschetta / Nuts / Spicy Honey

1st Course

Pork Belly / Grilled Pineapple / Shallot Jelly

Or

Grilled Watermelon / Nikkei Sauce

2nd Course

*Make your selection when checking out.

Grilled Picaña / Gremolata / Scalloped Potatoes

Catch of the Day / Dijon Hollandaise Sauce / Grilled Vegetables

Eggplant Veggie Lasagna

3rd Course

Coffee Pavlovas / Mascarpone Cream / Raspberry

Directions from Todos Santos

Take Careterra 19 towards Cabo San Lucas.

Exit to the right in Pescadero at the Baja Beans Road.

Stay on that road almost to the beach. You will see signs on the left side for Coyote and SiempreViva.

Choosing a career path is undoubtedly one of the most difficult decisions to be made in life. For this reason, The Palapa School organized a vocational day. For two weeks, students took various tests and surveys to uncover their areas of interest. This will support students by unlocking more opportunities and possibilities for each of them. 

As part of the process, various universities from the region and from the interior of the country sent representatives to discuss the academics, scholarships, living in other cities, as well as required exams of their institutions. 

To date, many students registered for their UNAM selection exam and many completed applications for various scholarships. We wish them all the success and confidence as they build an amazing future.

By Ardice Farrow

The Palapa School Robotics Club won BEST in Innovation at the recent Regional First LEGO League Robotics Competition and was selected to participate in the National Competition on March 11 & 12 in Mexico City. 

This is the first time club members have participated in a competition, and we are all thrilled with their creativity, hard work, and success.



To prepare for the regional LEGO competition, students were required to build and code several different robots to compete in multiple challenges. The second requirement of the competition was to “reimagine a better energy future,” identify a local energy and environmental problem, and propose an innovative solution.  

As electricity in Baja California Sur, Mexico, is costly and production contributes to CO2 emissions, the students proposed an electrolysis plant to produce hydrogen and use it for the thermoelectric plant in La Paz, the capital city of Baja Sur. This solution would decrease CO2 emissions, reduce production costs, and make electricity cleaner and more affordable to Baja Sur.

The Palapa Robotics Club was made possible because of generous donations from local Todos Santos supporters, a District Grant from the Pilot Knob Rotary Club, and Texas Rotary District 5790, and support from The Denton Texas Rotary Club.

https://www.firstlegoleague.org/

As a result of pre COVID contributions from Palapa supporters, a Rotary District Grant from The Pilot Knob Rotary Group, District 5790 and the added support of members of the Denton Noon Rotary Club The Palapa School was able to launch its first Robotics Club with eight students in late 2022.

To learn more about Rotary please click here

This winter, Dr. Maria Timmons Flores, PhD and Professor of Multilingual Education and Director of the Bridges Program at the Woodring College of Education in Washington, is working with college students at Colorado State University, Todos Santos. Her students are studying Education and will work with bilingual students in the future.

Dr. Flores reached out to The Palapa Society to have her students volunteer to teach English to Palapa students or support their work. From mid-January to the end of March, the teachers-in-training are assisting in The Palapa School English classes, as well as the Puente al Inglés classes for children. What an opportunity for all who are involved!

Clean used books, DVD’s, and magazines are gladly accepted during our regular opening hours, M, W, F 10-1. Please make an appointment to drop off materials outside these hours. Small donations can be dropped in our book drop, just to the left of the front gate on Calle del Huerto. All materials are appreciated. Please note: BEP members are able to check out 10 books and 5 DVDs during each visit, and we ask that you return your books in a timely manner.

The BEP is sponsoring a literary event featuring two local poets, Charlotte Eulette and Margaret Shaughnessy, Friday, March 24, 2023 12-1:00pm. They will read from their books, available for checkout that day..

BEP hours M,W, F 10:00am -1:00pm

The Palapa Society has achieved Agente Cero/Agent Zero certification from the Alianza Cero Basura/Zero Waste Alliance non-profit organization, for our efforts in becoming a zero-waste campus and gearing our events to reduce waste.

Thank you to Alianza Cero Basura Program Director Juan Salvador Aceves Bueno, Antonio Diego of Colorado State University, and Palapa School Director Diego Carranza Savall for their leadership in creating an integrated environmental awareness curriculum, which includes reducing single-use plastics, recycling, composting, and starting a long-awaited school garden project. 

by Jacki Gillespie, Director 

This month, we welcome our newest Assistant Teacher and former Puente Student, Fernanda. She has been a valuable member of our program for many years, going from student to teacher's assistant. She has even stepped in and taught classes when a substitute teacher was needed. Next year she will be going to college. We will miss her but are so excited to see what she will do. 

My name is Fernanda, and I am eighteen years old. The Palapa Society taught me to not give up, to help others, and that there is not just one way to do things. They also taught me to see life in a happier way and that little details count. The children are so impressive, and even if they are younger, there are many things we can learn from them.

My favorite part of being a teacher's assistant is being able to help the children who always motivate me and show love. When I taught my first class alone, I was a bit nervous, but the children were always very kind and patient, even if I made a mistake. I don't know what to say to inspire others, but maybe to simply do something you love to do.

In the future, after I finish my degree in renewable energy engineering, I want to study teaching to be able to share my knowledge and become a teacher.

By Kate Lewis, Director

I would like to use this space to express my appreciation to all our volunteer assistants, substitute teachers, and teachers, past, present and future. I am so excited about how our program is growing along with the town and know it would not be possible without their dedication and commitment to the program. We have both part time and full time residents on the team including many former teachers although every volunteer brings their own experiences to the classroom. One of our teachers even drives up from Los Cabos twice a week! Below is a list of our current teachers and assistants along with a quote from Anne Patterson who has taught with us for the last few years.

If you are looking for a way to give back to the community while meeting new people and having a bit of fun while doing it, consider becoming a volunteer. adultenglish@palapasociety.org

“The students are my inspiration, working all day and coming to class at night to learn English….sombreros off to them!” Anne P.

Our current teachers/assistant

Anne Chapman

Anne Patterson

Dennis Chapman

Elisa Litsky

Joyce Anderson

Mark Miller

Paul Ridge

Paolo Santucci

Terry Hawes

Our outstanding substitutes 

Chris Day

Melissa McCoy

Scott Moser

On March 1, 2023 Anita Harris, Palapa bookkeeper and dear friend passed away in her home surrounded by her beloved pets and closest friends.

Twenty-three years ago, Anita moved from London, England to La Paz, BCS working for an import/export company. Six years later she moved to Todos Santos because she fell in love with a horse named Hombre.

During her time in Todos Santos she wore many hats in the community including working at Etnica and Nomad Chic and volunteering as Treasurer of ACTS non-profit organization. She also was an amateur actress, model, and artist. In Anita’s tenure at The Palapa Society, she was not only vital in ensuring our compliance with the new non-profit laws and government regulations, she was integral in helping to create a smooth transition when our Treasurer Hal Butler passed.

Anita will be remembered for her fashionable style, sharp sense of humor and brash wit. Most of all everyone will think of her outfits and energy on Mariachi night!

She was a one-of-a-kind person who left a mark on everyone she encountered. She will be greatly missed.

There will be a Celebration of Anita’s life. Stay tuned to our Facebook and Instagram pages for more information. 

The 12th Annual Todos Santos Open Studio tour held February 3 - 5, 2023 was a huge success.

This year Doce Cuarenta Todos Santos hosted this well loved Palapa Society event. Over volunteers did a spectacular job of welcoming over 500 people! Just over $20,000 USD was raised over the weekend filled with art and fun.

Thank you to everyone who volunteered, sponsored, purchased tickets and art over the weekend. We couldn't have done it without you!

Make sure to save the date for 2024. February 1 - 3, 2024

To be Announced...

Celebration of Life for Anita Harris

Stay tuned via social media for updates.

March 24, 2023

Poetry Reading

Biblioteca Elena Poniatowska

Charlotte Eulette: Real. Vibrant

& Margaret Shaughnessy

12 - 1 pm

Free Admission

April 1, 2023

Masquerade Ball

La SiempreViva

6 - 9 pm

Dinner, Live Music & Dancing

$3,200 MXN

April 29, 2023

Donor Appreciation Party



Watch your email for further information.

Thank you to Kirsten Murphy and John and Alietha McKay, friends of Tori and Oscar Sepulveda, for donating loads of school supplies, art supplies, and library books all the way from the North West Territories of Canada. We don t know how they fit all in their suitcase, but we are glad they did.

What an inspiration!

Connie & Andy Mical

Angelica Velez Mendez

Anthony & Lee Irons

Bonnie & AJ Johnston

Brian & Lynn Kuske

Bryan & Janet Raydon

Cindy & David Higgins

Charley & Karen Haley

Charles & Ruth Herren

Chris Miller & Diana Pandell

Deborah Parrish

Dennis Chapman

Dennis & Nancy Naigle

Dick & Margot Hampleman

Dr. William & Cathy Nation

Eleanor Andrews

Elizabeth Farner

Erin Sands

Gail & Scott Bosch

Jane Gehring

Jane Hall

Janna Kinkade

Jay Masaschi

Jessica Spencer

Jill Mollenhauer & Robert Bland

Julie & Michael Dandurand

Karen McDaniels

Karin & Judd Cuenin

Kathy Warnert

Ken Ford

Kristen & Rick Friedman

Kristin Rust

Lisa Goodman

Lisa Welsch

Maria Olaisen & Mike Block

Marilyn Jacques

Marimar Higgins

Marjolein Brugman

Marshall Laird

Nancy Simpson

Paul & Pam Bumann

Patricia O'Connell

Rhoda Jacobs

Rick & Suzanne Arnold

Robert Bruce Westbrook

Ryan Casey

Sharon Morris

Stephanie Vetter

Stephen & Sophia Nicholas

Sydney & Greg Schweitzer

Teresa Laird

Tori Sepulveda

Vickie Butler

Virginia Gollery

William & Cathleen Small