What’s the color of democracy? Well, as it turns out it’s pastel green. Or at least that’s what it was at the recent Children’s Academy Dedication.

On February 24th we dedicated the Haiti Partners’ Children’s Academy and Learning Center. This event celebrated the construction of the first building and a strong start to our first year. Over 1000 people attended, including a great many of the partners who have made the Children’s Academy possible. Speeches were made, awards were given out, the WOZO choir sang, there was dancing, and John even went Gangnam style for the crowd!

It was also an opportunity to further engage the community by having them vote to decide what color to paint the school. Sample colors were painted on the school wall, buckets were set out, and community members voted by placing a small rock in the bucket that represented the color they liked best. In the end, pastel green was the clear winner: 196 votes out 313 cast.

The following day, our generous visitors from Matthews United Methodist Church purchased paint and supplies and joined with parents of students and other community volunteers to paint the entire school (see pictures here).

Thank you for supporting the Children’s Academy and we look forward to moving forward together in the coming years!

-John & Kent and the entire Haiti Partners team

*To read the Children’s Academy Vision Statement, click here.

March 1, 2013: The Children’s Academy and Learning Center fully painted