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December 2006

Volunteer Alumni - Where They are Now

By Kate Kowalski, THP Board Member/Volunteer Alum ’99–’00

There is a group of people in The Haitian Project (THP) family with some very special things in common. Memories of frantic lesson planning, after school soccer practices, school cleanup hour, compost, hands covered with chalk dust. While their services, spanning 20 years, have involved teaching, maintenance work and community service organizing, these things are common experiences for all who have volunteered for one or more years with THP. Another thing this group shares is ongoing dedication to the Project.

Jen Costanza , 2001-2002 volunteer, working on her PhD in Sociology at Brown. 

Since Louverture Cleary (LCS) opened, volunteers have been inspiring the students and staff of the THP/LCS community by willingly and freely committing their known talents and newly discovered talents in the face of unexpected challenges with the THP/LCS community. Their presence invigorates the Louverture Cleary campus, providing a special cross cultural exchange that strengthens the community. When asked about the importance of and gifts brought to the community by the volunteers, former THP President Patrick Moynihan replies without hesitation, "The volunteers are one of the most important elements in our community. They provide a model of volunteerism and unconditional love. They fuel the spiritual fire of our community."

 

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Highlights December 2006

The Future is Bright:

In January, the Rockford Men's Group and Loras College will join forces again to fund and install the final phase of the LCS solar project. This last phase will be customized to fit like the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle. It will complete the LCS independent power grid, making LCS the first school and major institution in Haiti to be 100% solar sufficient.

Nothing is Impossible With God:

By writing to local businesses, applying to grants, and raising funds beyond the needs of their mission, the ambitious Bishop Ireton High School students and staff made a significant dent in securing funds to finish payment on the June installation.

A Catalyst of Social Economic Change:

The Economic Growth Initiative (EGI) is a not-for-profit organization created with the mission to improve the economic opportunity for the emerging youth in Haiti by providing entrepreneurial education and creating new sources of capital investment. Thanks to the professors at Loras College who are finalizing the Business Training course work, to the anonymous donor who so generously gifted enough laptops for each student, and to Bill Newton, a former LCS staff member who made a trip to Haiti to set up the computer lab, we were able to hold an orientation class on October 6th. This fall we will open the doors to the first EGI class, a group of ten talented LCS alumni and prospective entrepreneurs.

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Volunteer Viewpoint: Jess Fordyce

by  Jess Fordyce

Change: one thing that is certain on this planet is that nothing remains the same. This goes for people as well as everything else. While change is often a frightening experience, it also presents enormous opportunities. We often resist changes in our life, forgetting that the only way to grow as a person is through this avenue. As the old saying goes, we are either growing or dying. When I think of all the things that I've seen and done as a result of not being afraid of taking that first step into unknown territory, it makes me regret the numerous times that I recoiled in fear of making that leap.

Jess and Eddie take a break after school cleanup time.

I know that I am not the same person that I was before coming to Haiti, let alone compared to who I was just out of high school. I grew up in a very sheltered environment on a ranch in the middle of Montana. While it was a fantastic place to be raised, I also knew that it provided few opportunities to make a difference, both in myself and for others. With that in mind, I headed off for distant climes, first to West Africa with the Peace Corps. And now, I am in Haiti with The Haitian Project.

 

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Student Viewpoint: Eddie Pierre

By Eddie Pierre

Hello, my name is Eddie Pierre, and I am a Sekonde student at Louverture Cleary School in Santo 5. I come from Port-au-Prince, and, although I am in the fifth year of secondary school, I have only been at Louverture Cleary for two of those years. Before coming to school here, I was a student at a public school nearby, and had to take an exam to be accepted into this school. I wanted to come to Louverture Cleary because of its reputation for high academics and the opportunities for scholarships after graduation.

 

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Cathy "Multi-talented" Melanson

By Sue Williams

The Holy Spirit was clearly at work when, five years back, THP Board member Sue Williams made her pitch to the faculty at Bishop Ireton High School. How else to explain the gift that the Project received that day? "Count me in" were the first words of introduction from Cathy Melanson, and for these five years we have counted her as one of the school's most ardent and valuable supporters.

Cathy and some of her Bishop Ireton Crew at work in Haiti

Multi-talented doesn't even begin to describe Cathy. She is, of course, an outstanding teacher, and teachers are what THP was fishing for that day in 2002. With 4-6 fresh new volunteer teachers to train each school year and a cadre of veteran Haitian faculty with little access to continuing education, Louverture Cleary was in need of a master teacher to help professionalize its staff. Enter Cathy, who with fellow BI teacher Beckie Borman set the standard for teacher education during her first trip to LCS in 2002. Cathy has returned seven times since that visit, covering a variety of topics prepared by her and other BI teachers - everything from curriculum planning to classroom management to learning modalities - with expert ability.

 

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