13536: LeGrace Benson: First the bad news....

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: LeGrace Benson <legrace@twcny.rr.com>

To Corbettland:
Just back from visits to Port-au-Prince and Cap Haitien, here is the bad
news:
You all know what that is.We read about it relentlessly.
So let's hear some good news:

    At the beginning of October, 50 new students enrolled in the
First-year
class of the Faculty of Education of Regina Assumpta (" The FERA") in Cap
Haitien. Thirty-three educators graduated from this educational sciences
institution in June of this year, all of them now positioned as teachers,
supervisors, and district supervisors.  Two from the first graduating
class,
2000 are in graduate programs in New York and Connecticutt.   The number
of
graduates increases steadily each year, and in 2003 there will be a
group completing degrees in June and another in December.
 While the US college that originally was the international sponsor
insuring
accreditation closed its doors this past June, an announcement that a
Canadian university will pick up the accreditation sponsorship is expected
shortly. Meanwhile the new Dean of the education faculty is a Haitian Holy
Cross sister with strong credentials and experience.
    Some on this list are graduates of Regina Assumpta elementary and
secondary
school who may be pleased to hear that the expansion of the elementary
school
has moved ahead significantly, with new classrooms, new faculty rooms, a
computer room for students as well as an attractive new student library.
The
library for upper division students and the students at F.E.R.A. has
received
new books and equipment in the last year.  The FERA also has new computer
stations in the student study room and faculty lounge.  Both divisions of
what
is now called "Centre Regina Assumpta" are connected to the internet and
world
wide web.
    And there is new paint.  It looks great!

    Most happily of all, I was able to speak with some of my former
students,
now graduated, who enthusiastically reported on their current positions
and
efforts that are bearing fruit in a variety of public and private schools.

    In another bit of good news, I visited two other places where
substantial
progress was evident in student achievements (academic contest winners
from
probably the poorest district in the area)and the marked improvement in
health,
school scores and family re-integration of former street kids.
   The best part is that while encouragement and some funding come from
outside the region and even outside Haiti, much of the energy, effort and
good
thinking come from Capoise who produce home-grown local solutions to
situations
understood by local folk.

    There's more good news out there, and I look forward to reading about
it
from other observers.

Regards to all,
LeGrace Benson