On Monday, October 11, 2010, TeacHaiti celebrated an event many years in the making. The “School of Hope” opened its doors in Port-au-Prince, welcoming sixty-five eager and excited 1st – 4th grade students. The School of Hope plans on adding a class yearly until it houses first grade through high school.
Opening day involved the collaboration of many. As a result of the earthquake nine months earlier, over half of the students sponsored by TeacHaiti had lost their schools. Many donors made special gifts, desiring to help Haiti rebuild. TeacHaiti founder Miquette Denie, worked for months securing a safe location, contacting teachers, locating supplies, and making other necessary arrangements to make the TeacHaiti School of Hope a reality. Several members of the Board of Directors and some supporters from Detroit Lakes and Hoffman visited the building in late summer, renovating and painting classrooms. Brand new wooden benches with attached desks arrived. Donated school supplies were placed into student backpacks. A new generator and inverter battery system were installed so the school would have reliable power. Items like clocks and fans in each classroom, seemingly small things to most Americans, were cherished by the new teachers.
Arriving in their bright green uniforms, students receive a top notch education at School of Hope. One unique part of the curriculum is art. Through a partnership with another organization called Espwa Pou Lavi Timou Yo (ELT), three art teachers provide instruction designed not only to help students express themselves but also to teach students a skill that may one day provide income. A full-time English teacher is another unique feature of School of Hope. Most schools do not teach English until middle school. The school lunch menu is another plus. Many Haitian schools offer no lunch. Some schools provide “hot lunch” each day, but those meals often consist simply of rice and beans. The TeacHaiti School of Hope students receive greater variety and more nutritious foods, a priority in part because of the founder’s background in nursing. The donation of a new guitar provides students with music education and an opportunity for worship. In addition to these academic, nutritional, and spiritual benefits, TeacHaiti sponsored children have regular visits from doctors. “Medical Teams International” is committed to visiting regularly to address not only diseases, but also to provide general family medical services such as vision, hearing, and scoliosis screenings.
A final unique aspect of TeacHaiti School of Hope is parental involvement. Each parent of a student is required, as part of their sponsorship, to volunteer at the school once a week, helping the school operate by cleaning, providing maintenance, repairing broken items, or preparing meals. In this way, parents are involved and participate in their child’s education, creating ownership and responsibility.
What does THSH mean to the TeacHaiti Founder and Director– Miquette Denie?
It is very challenging to find the right words to express my feelings as I see School of Hope welcoming in students for the very first time. As I reflect on what the opening of the long-dreamed-of TeacHaiti School of Hope really means to me, I recall a painful experience suffered by me and by many Haitian students. As a child, I remember, at the beginning of each month a teacher would call all the students together and read a list of those who must stand up and go home. Their families had not paid tuition for that month because there was no money to be found. When my name was called, my face would burn with shame as the other kids taunted me and I had to walk home by myself. I would often miss a month, maybe several, and then try to catch up.
I remember suffering through this humiliation, but I know that sponsorship in TeacHaiti means over 200 kids will not have to endure a similar experience this year. They can attend every month, every day, of school, and pursue their education as far as their dreams will take them.
First and foremost, I thank God for using me to make a difference for His people in Haiti. I thank every single board member for their hard work to make this dream of mine a reality. I thank every supporter for their generous gifts that put such a great smile on these childrens’ faces. Words are not enough to thank you. You are making a tremendous difference in Haiti. Thank you for joining us in the work of TeacHaiti. We do have big dreams and we hope you will continue to walk with us in our dream of building a TeacHaiti School of Hope campus where hundreds of children will eat the bread of education. “Many hands make light work” says a Haitian proverb. Thank you for offering those hands!