Every year families anxiously await news of whether or not their child will receive a Palapa Society scholarship.

This news can make an enormous impact on their child’s life. It means a step closer to realizing hopes and dreams of an education and a future of choices, whether in preparation for University or to enter the workforce. 

We invite you to donate to the 2nd Annual Scholarship Drive. We have set a goal of $100,000 USD.

The drive will run from September 1st through October 1, 2022. While this is a challenging goal, we are counting on you to help students and their families. 

Where do the donations go? Scholarships are awarded based on financial need. Our Palapa School students are able to attend school thanks to donors like you. Over 80% of Palapa School students receive a full or partial scholarship every year. Scholarships are also awarded to local public middle and high school students for registration fees and uniforms. In addition The Palapa Society provides financial aid to university students for tuition, books and licensing fees.

Brand New Giving Option for 2022! 

Consider adopting a class this year. Simply select a grade level you would like to follow through to graduation. Then either set up a monthly donation of $210.00 USD, or make a one-time donation of $2,500 USD.

Please note on the gift the grade level you wish to follow. In return you will receive a quarterly newsletter from students in your selected grade level. 

With a simple act, you can make a permanent difference in a child’s life.  

By Laurel D’Angelo

The Palapa Society’s Board of Directors would like to announce a change in the Directorship of The Palapa School.

We thank Directora Anna Castillo for bringing her leadership skills, enthusiasm, and fresh approach to this role. Three Palapa School Teachers with advanced degrees in education will be fulfilling the role as Co-Directors during this exciting transition.

Many of you already know Citlalli Estefania Balbuena, Armando Vázquez, and Diego Carranza Savall, who have shown a deep dedication to making The Palapa School a success.

In addition to their teaching responsibilities, they will be sharing the role of Director, with a focus on Academics, Institutional oversight and relationships including SEP and Proteción Civil, and Administration. 

The Co-Directors developed a detailed management transition  plan in July, and have been faithfully executing this plan throughout August in preparation for the new school year. This included notifying the Secretaría de Educación Pública (the Federal Department of Education), who gave their full support of the shared-role approach, plus interviewing new teachers, refining the school manual, finalizing the master schedule, ordering new text books, preparing for Teacher, Parent, and Student orientation meetings and more.

The Palapa Society looks forward to partnering with our new Co-Directors in this new phase at The Palapa School, and sharing their progress with you in this newsletter.

by Jacki Gillespie

Wow, where does the time fly? So exciting to be getting ready for our return to classes. Even though our Bridge to English program doesn’t start until October, we have been working hard this summer to make this coming year great. Throughout July and August, the teachers and I took an online course to improve our teaching methods and are looking forward to using the tools we learned. We also spent time cleaning, organizing, and taking inventory of our supplies while we prepare for a return to full classrooms.

Registration opens on October 4th for returning students, and on October 5th for new students.

Are you looking for a way to give back to the community? We are looking for volunteer teachers, teachers' aids, and substitute teachers. Training, materials, and support are provided. If you or someone you know might be interested, please contact us at puentealingles@palapasociety.org.

Our students could also use new school supplies, such as lined notebooks, pencils, erasers, flashcards, books, and games. Every item that is given helps our students learn in the classroom and is greatly appreciated. 

By Kate Lewis

The Bridge to English program for Adults is currently finishing up its summer session of Conversational classes.  Fall classes for all levels will begin September 15 and end December 15, 2022. 

Registration will be held on September 8, at The Palapa Learning Center from 6pm - 8pm.

Our program is currently seeking teachers and assistants to help us in the upcoming year. Anyone interested, please contact Director Kate Lewis at adultenglish@palapasociety.org. 

by Paty Baum



We are excited to report that the shipment of young adult fiction books, made possible by two generous donors, has arrived.

They will soon be on the shelves in the new, Young Adult section of the Biblioteca Elena Poniatowska. There is also a complementary Y.A. Fiction section in the Children’s library primarily used by students in the Puente al Inglés (Bridge to English) program. 

The students at The Palapa School are encouraged to check out books in both English and Spanish as part of the school’s excellent bilingual literacy program. We plan to connect with the CECYT public high school in the upcoming school year,  to invite students to become members of the library. In the meantime, one of our strategies is to connect with young readers through our satellite library pilot program.

The satellite libraries will be populated with new books and we will expand to the Casa de Estudiante (CdE), which serves middle and high school students who live in nearby ranch communities too far away to make a daily commute to Todos Santos. Besides homework and chores, this deserving population of youth have limited enrichment activities to keep their minds and bodies active in the evenings and at night. We will establish a small library at the CdE, and invite students to become members with check-out privileges.

Good news for local parents and their kids: The Children’s Library is open on Wednesdays, 10am -12pm, with lots of books in English and Spanish for readers from birth - 16 years of age. Visitors can also check-out books during their stay in the area. Book donations are always welcome.

We are also looking for volunteers to staff the Children Library.

Please contact Director Paty Baum at BEP@palapasoicety.org 

BEP hours M,W, F, 10:00 -1:00

will continue through summer.

Elena Poniatowska at The Palapa Learning Center, November 2017

By Tori Sepulveda

Many of you may have wondered why The Palapa Society library here in Todos Santos is named the Biblioteca Elena Poniatowska, and who is this woman, Elena. We are proud to share this magical connection with you, as we are among the luckiest libraries in Mexico.   

Elena Poniatowska has been called Mexico’s greatest living novelist, and in 2013 she was awarded the Cervantes Prize in Literature. She is a journalist as well as novelist, who encourages reading and writing for all. In November of 2017 Elena came to Todos Santos to personally congratulate The Palapa Society and to dedicate our wonderful library. The Palapa Society prepared the community for her arrival by leading a book club on her book of short stories, The Heart of the Artichoke, led by Juan Diego Gonzalés and Felipe Lara. During the week that she was here The Palapa Society provided multiple opportunities for the community to meet Elena and listen to her thoughts. One evening we all shared a large dinner at Restaurant Los Adobes, and one evening she spoke to the families at The Palapa School and congratulated us all on the realization of Palapa’s dreams.  

Among her many books are Massacre in México, Leonora, Tinísima, Hasta no Verte Jesus Mío, La Noche de Tlatelolco, and many more. The Palapa library has a strong collection of books that Elena donated to us, so we encourage you to come visit us and learn more about her legacy. The Palapa library is one of the largest in Baja California Sur, thanks to the generosity of our community, and it is important for us to increase the number of Mexican authors like Octavio Paz, Carlos Fuentes, Laura Esquival, as well as our dear Elena.

Did you know that in 2017 she dubbed the Spanish voice of Mama Coco in the Disney/Pixar animated movie Coco, and just last month the Mexican Secretary of Culture organized a national tribute to celebrate Elena’s 90th birthday at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City.

Happy birthday dear Elena, and thank you! We are honored that you are a part of the legacy of our Palapa public library!

Dr. Geoff & Gina Wickwire, MD

Karen & Jon Sawyer

AF Construction

Mr. & Mrs. Gary B. & Marsha Blum

Greg & Carol Dobbs

Mrs. Paul & Pam Bumann

Mr. Peter Griffiths

Laura Kirsch

Jeanne Beaudry

Caron and Gordon Cromwell

Marimar Higgins

Courtney Higgins

Michael Mills

Kearsley Higgins

Nikki Kraslin

Eggers, Peter & Peggy

Ricci, Michael

Hampleman, Dick & Margot

Cunningham, Michael & Marla

Hays, Betsy and John

Leonard, Michael & Meg

Horn, Max

Russell, Gary & Leslie

Chiddix, James

Williams, Marsha & Jim