How are SEED student educational expenses estimated? GOOD QUESTION!... This is our first-time try, so I'm not really sure of all the details yet. Here's a general breakdown of costs, though, followed by total estimate for each student: --FEES: Exact tuition, exam, and "special" fees amounts won't be made public until just before school starts in June - and then may be "revised" to a limited extent later. In most cases these have to be paid in full during the 1st week of school. Our estimates for this year range from about $1.50 (govt-run school) up to $14 (most expensive private school). --TEXT books: Students going to the govt-run school are given 3 well-worn texts free; others they must buy (if they can afford them). Private schools vary - one gives all text books, the others most of them, as part of the school fees charge. We'll make sure each student receives all the required and recommended texts - costs, estimated from last year's prices, are expected to range from $2 to $13 per student. --NOTE books & supplies: Exactly what "study" notebooks (with sample questions, practice exercises, etc.) will be needed depends on their school's "curriculum" - which they'll find out only when they first go to each class; they'll also need blank notebooks for keeping their own notes in school. These, and a couple of writing implements, will have to be purchased in early June, and the exact cost won't be known until then. Based again on last year's costs, our estimates range from $12 to $16. --UNIFORMS: Exact cost of uniforms - each school has it's own required color scheme, and "rules" vary as to what sort of dress females are permitted to wear - will depend on how much cloth is needed and what it costs. Each student will get two uniform sets (skirt/blouse, salwar/cameez, shirt/pant) stitched from somewhat better-than-average cloth. We'll already taken some of the students for buying cloth and fitting; for the rest, the required cloth for their schools is not yet available. Including material and tailoring, uniforms should cost between $11 and $14 per student. So... what I've done is estimate each student's expected annual expenses, and rounded that total to the next higher $5 sum. We'll keep exact accounts on each student's ACTUAL expenditures during the year, and let each partner/sponsor know at the end of the school year (next April) what the surplus/deficit is from the amount given - which should be only a very few $$ off from the estimate, I hope! Estimates for SEED students WITH support (Karumbalai): - Ambika (9th) - $35 - Ann, Chuck & Kirsten (partner) - Amutha (7th) - $35 - Hathy (sponsor) - Devipriya (6th) - $35 - Bernie (partner) - Kalarani (9th) - $35 - Ginni (sponsor) - Kaliyammal (7th) - $35 - Kidder & Jane (partner) - Kausalya (6th) - $40 - Ann, Chuck & Kirsten (partner) - Marimuthu (7th) - $35 - Scott (sponsor) - Mohanraj (7th) - $40 - Scott (sponsor) - Muniyasamy (6th) - $40 - Tina (sponsor) - Muthulakshmi (8th) - $35 - Tammy (partner) - P. Muthumari (8th) - $35 - Scott (partner) - Pandian (7th) - $40 - Kay & Mike (partner) - Paul Raj (6th) - $35 - Tiffany (partner) - Saravanakumar (9th) - $40 - Kay & Mike (partner) - Sasikala (9th) - $35 - Annie's Angel (partner) - Senthilkumar (7th) - $40 - Colin (partner) - Sivakami (8th) - $35 - Sarah (partner) - Venkateswari (9th) - $40 - John (partner) Estimates for SEED students WITHOUT support commitments (Karumbalai): - G. Muthumari (7th) - $35 - She's a strong-&-silent type of student - top-rank but quiet in class - the only one in her family who's continuing her education. Father (4th) is a mason with irregular work, mother (no ed.) is a private home maid, a brother and 2 sisters (19, 18, 16) all dropped out of school. Muthumari likes studying the sciences best, and wants to be a teacher. - Paalthangam (7th) - $40 - Tiny voiced and fragile in physique - malnutrition? - but strong in mind, her Tamil name means (appropriately!) "pure (white) gold." Father (6th) is a city street cleaner, mother (3rd) a household servant, little brother (8) is in school. Paalthangam was impressively thoughtful on our visit to the bookstore, carefully perusing each book before making selections for the SEED library; she loves social sciences in school, and wants to be a highschool social science teacher. - Raja (9th) - $45 - One of 2 Dalit Christian SEED students, he gets no school placement or fees "concession" as do other Dalits, and must stand or fall on his own academic record - which is impressive! His widowed mother (no ed.) works as day laborer, elder brother (24) is married and gives limited financial help. Raja's a determined, conscientious, 3rd-rank student at a highschool run by American College (which has slightly higher costs than most others). - Sundarrajan (6th) - $35 - He's a 1st-rank student who likes all his school subjects and thoroughly enjoys studying and outside reading. Father (9th) is a hotel cleaner, mother (5th) a housewife, and 2 younger brothers (12, 8) are both going to school. Sundar says he's ready to put as much effort as it takes into accomplishing his dream, to become a mechanical engineer. Impressively, he gave up his chance to go to the 3-day "camp" with the others so his younger brother could go! - Suresh (7th) - $40 - With an educated mother, he's constantly motivated and encouraged to pursue his studies - which he does with pride. Father (no ed.) drives a "for hire" autorickshaw (for which he pays daily rent), mother (12th) is a highly intelligent woman earning a pittance ($10/mo) as a nurse's aide, one younger sister (6) is in school and another is just a baby (1). Suresh's favorite classes are the sciences, and he's looking to medicine as a career; he's also a good "practical" artist, proudly showing me his book of drawings (mostly biology and human anatomy).