Haiti Partners is – as our name suggests – all about partnerships. One of our particular favorites is with Calvary Church in Holland, Michigan. For four years a group of about a dozen educators – teachers and administrators who attend Calvary – have been coming each July to hold a three day training, get to know the teachers and administrators in our network, and learn about Haiti. We call this the annual Teacher Summit and this year it took place on 8-10 July. It’s an extraordinary partnership.

… And an extraordinary group. The Calvary teachers spend months planning (this year’s initial meeting was over six months before the training…), they work with us to determine what our teachers most want to learn, they gather and bring with them an extraordinary amount of materials to send back to the schools. During their visits they show grace and humility as they work diligently each day to make the most of the time we have together, listening to participant concerns, adapting as needed, and remaining flexible when Haiti offers its many challenges (like unreliable plumbing or a/c units on the fritz, for example :).

And this diligence is paying off. The Calvary group specializes in student-centered, engaging and interactive educational methods, and each year we see progress in our teachers’ capacity to capture what they’re learning and replicate it in their classrooms.

Click here to view a photo album of the 2015 Teacher Summit

But it’s not just the educational improvements we’re excited about. It’s also the relationships. After four years in a row, the core Calvary group has come to know many of the teachers they’ve trained personally. They’ve visited their schools and communities, they’ve met their families … they’ve learned their stories.

Haiti Partners is honored to be a part of this wonderful exchange between the Calvary teacher group and our network of local teachers. We’re extremely grateful to the Calvary teachers for their dedication and commitment, and to Calvary Church for its ongoing support of this meaningful and impactful initiative.

Bearing in mind the Summit’s motto – “Edikasyon se Espwa!” / “Education is Hope!” – we give thanks for the hope you’ve brought and continue to bring to Haiti each year. Thank you!