To: Board of COHP Directors Respected Contributors All Potentially Interested Individuals and Groups
From: F. Anderson on behalf of the Board and the COHP Director
Five years of uniquely successful Children of Haiti Project (COHP) were completed during the last week of June 2015. Our beloved and esteemed Director, Dominique Pierre, recently expressed that “this past year of academic and extra-curricular operations were the most professionally and personally satisfying than any previous year of service!” Dominique predicated her opinion upon the fact that all major objectives have either been completely realized or are in the process of being close to full fruition. In fact, Dominique stated that the COHP program “is rapidly gaining other impressive dimensions of unexpected momentum”. Her positive assessments are predicated upon the subsequent special features:
Close to universal students’ high achievement results validated by June 2015 test results emanating from sound sources within the Haitian Ministry of Education and the nation of France.
Since February 2015 COHP has transitioned into a remarkable new and improved facility! It is joyous to convey that the new installation includes enhanced air quality, decent recreational and physical education space (prior we had none!) , larger and more appropriate sized classrooms and storage locations, broader technology, far greater zones for preliminary food preparation and actual cooking, toilets increase from 1 ½ to 3, far safer external traffic flow, and more pronounced security features.
Miscellaneous: Institution of a more sophisticated immunization system for students and faculty; broader health screenings and follow-up medicals as deemed necessary for some students; infusion of English language instruction including verbal, written and reading now that acceptable levels of Creole and French have been reached (new instructor Msr. Rudi, will provide the leadership; he will also assist Dominique with other challenging administrative tasks required by the government monitors and accounting expectations); creation of overnight sleeping/study spaces for 8 – 10 periodic students re: abusive home situations and others who travel 2 to 2 ½ hours each way in the a.m. and p.m.
During prior summers, COHP has been able to offer various types of summer enrichments for the students academics, nutritional, and cultural requirements. This summer we are proud that we have hosted the Best Program the Students Have Ever Experienced thanks to :
Maggie Dawson : Originally from Vancouver, Canada. Currently lives in Sinapore and teaches Year 5 (grade 4) at Chatsworth International School. Prior she has taught in Mongolia and Canada. Maggie has a background development work and outdoor education and has worked on a variety of projects around the world.
Christopher Brokus : Christopher recently graduated from Dickinson College in the USA with degrees in anthropology and French. With past experience teaching ESL in France and elementary French in United States, Christopher joined us as a French instructor.
Molly DiLeonardi : Molly recently graduated from Dickinson College, in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in International Business and Management /French. As a student, Molly taught beginner and advanced levels of French to fellow students.
Their volunteer efforts have been superb! We are so very grateful for what these special young professionals have contributed!!
We continue to be humbly appreciative for our cadre of extended term and new donation benefactors. Without their contributions, the COHP Program could not survive. Sharing candidly, it is frequently not easy for maintaining close to a “break-even” level for the existence of COHP. We continue to explore new options. We welcome any ideas for significantly needed additional revenue sources.
We all need to be reminded that COHP is the one project that members of the international and U.S. school communities and other special sources have bound themselves together. COHP, in truth, is unique. It has proven in the beleaguered nation of Haiti that it can be successful. It is pledged that we will remain with this contingent of special children who have been nurtured for 5 years from Early Childhood through middle school and into some still to be determined pathways for high school. University studies remain also a dream. All associated are confident that these COHP recipients will ultimately “pay back” their refined attributes to their beloved Haitian nation.
We will prove that this type of comprehensive program can be successful in a complex country such as Haiti. We have become and will remain a beacon of excellence for what hopeful will be replicated again, again, and again throughout the region.
Everyone is encouraged to regularly visit the COHP website at childrenofhaitiproject.org for broad historical insights and helpful contemporary program illuminations. In addition, the site provides easy explanation access for donation opportunities.