Pencils with Passion is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that connects schools, communities, and individuals in the United States with two schools, Colegio Christianos and Celeste Faro, in the Verón area on the far eastern coast of the Dominican Republic. Our mission is to provide the learning materials and educational resources these schools need to support their students and help them thrive through education.

I was a Girl Scout for 12 years and earned my Bronze and Silver Awards. Pencils with Passion was created as my Girl Scout Gold Award project. When choosing a project, I wanted to focus on something that meant a lot to me. My family has traveled to the Dominican Republic every year since 2010, sometimes staying for two weeks and sometimes for up to three months at a time. Over the years, it truly became like a second home to me.

During my time there, I became very aware of the economic challenges many families face. In some areas, the average household income for a family of four can be between 150 and 200 dollars per month, and even jobs in tourism or public service often pay only a few hundred dollars per month. Seeing this made me reflect on how fortunate many schools in the United States are to have access to abundant supplies and resources, while many schools in the Dominican Republic struggle to obtain basic educational materials.

I wanted to create a way to connect the resources we often take for granted with the students and teachers at my adopted schools in the Dominican Republic. That idea became Pencils with Passion, an organization dedicated to improving educational opportunities and supporting students by providing the supplies and resources they need to succeed.

I am now a sophomore at Tulane University double majoring in Legal Studies in Business and Business Management, and I plan to attend law school in the future. As I continue my education, I also continue to grow and expand Pencils with Passion, combining my passion for service, education, and advocacy to make a lasting impact.