End of Year Thank You and Reflections

As we close out 2022, we extend our heartfelt thank you to you and the rest of our EYC family. Your continued support and belief in our work allow us to do what we do best – provide opportunities for students to connect with their potential and develop the skills they need to create secure and sustainable lives.

2022 brought some normalcy as schools reopened. We welcomed students back to the classroom and began recapturing the learning lost during the prior two years of the pandemic. We found success in: 

• Technology in the classroom: 773 EYC students actively used our software Literacy Planet to improve their English skills
• Coding & Robotics: 92 EYC students successfully participated in coding & robotics programming with a local partner over the past two years. In 2022, students presented their projects to an external audience, including representatives from the US Embassy in Cambodia. 
• Leadership Development:  43 EYC youth developed their leadership skills through workshops and volunteer work with EYC’s younger students.
• Scholarship Students: 100% of EYC scholarship students in grades 9, 10, and 11 were academically successful. We are waiting on results for grade 12 and are confident they will also be academically successful. Of note, one of our students has been recognized as an outstanding student by our private school partner and is preparing to apply for future US scholarship opportunities.  

2022 was also a year full of transition and change.  

The team worked hard to address the challenges of urban development in our communities. Additionally, we refined existing programming and worked on developing new pathways in STEM, vocational training, and leadership. These pathways will assist students in attaining the skills needed to succeed and thrive in an ever-changing world.

Changes to the makeup of our schools were also central to this year of transition. As we shared in November, we had to relocate Youth School due to a road development project. Youth School’s new location, which opened in late November, continues to serve students from the community and now houses the EYC offices and management team. This move allows the team to be more closely engaged and connected with the students and community.  

Due to budget limitations, we initiated another consolidation and are transitioning students from Impact School (in existence since 2012) to Youth School. Roughly 70% of existing Impact School students will move to Youth School, and we are providing transportation for the younger students so they can safely get to class. We are also developing a plan for those unable to transition to Youth School so that they can continue to learn and grow.  

Through the opportunities and the challenges, you and our global family of donors, volunteers, and champions continue to help us keep our students’ futures at the center of all we do. For that, we are truly grateful.

We wish you the best this holiday season and look forward to sharing what we have in store for 2023.