Smiles, Laughter and Hope Mark New School Year in Haiti

MIREBALAIS, Haiti - Sept. 18, 2015 - PRLog -- September 17, 2015 - Mirebalais, Haiti - There were tears of excitement, laughter and joy this morning as l’Ecole de Choix (http://ecoledechoix.org/) (The School of Choice) http://ecoledechoix.org opened its doors for another successful school year.

L’Ecole de Choix (Choix) students started this academic year with big smiles and happy faces thanks to Clowns for Haiti.   Choix is a private, non-profit elementary school in Mirebalais, Haiti that provides a high-quality, trilingual education for children from grades one to six.  Choix’s mission is to develop Haitian leaders to lead Haiti and the world.

The school is beginning its fifth academic year with an enrollment of 180 students and graduated its first class since the earthquake this past June.

“It's a pure pleasure to be part of the children's first day in school and to see the smiles on their faces,” said Mr. Peter Gannon, co-founder of Clowns for Haiti.   “Nothing is more fulfilling than hearing the laughter and excitement of the children as they start a new school year.”

Clowns for Haiti (http://www.clownsforhaiti.com/) is an Irish-based nonprofit organization focused on helping bring joy and resources to schools in Haiti.  Similar to Choix, Clowns for Haiti was established as a response to the 2010 earthquake.  The team’s 2015 project is a pencil case appeal (http://www.gofundme.com/z6xawj4m) where school children from all over Ireland fill pencil cases with school supplies and small letters that are then delivered to schools in Haiti.   To date 2,460 pencil cases have been collected from 13 schools in Ireland. Through fundraising and performing arts at events in Haiti, the clowns are making their way around the country bringing practical school supplies and potential pen pals as well as fun and laughter to eager students ready to learn.

“The first day of school is always highly anticipated by our students, our families and our Choix staff.  The Clowns for Haiti were with us from day one when we dedicated the school and have been with us each year since.  This year we are especially grateful to the Clowns for Haiti because it is the first time that they have helped us to surprise the students on their opening day,” said Professor Laura Pincus Hartman, founder and board chair of l’Ecole De Choix, and Director of the Susilo Institute for Ethics in the Global Economy at Boston University.   “Commitment and solidarity mean a lot in Haiti.  It is important to come to Haiti – and to stay or to keep coming back.  Choix is here in the Mirebalais community for the long-term and we are grateful to our friends, like the Clowns for Haiti, who keep coming back to support us.”

About Haiti
Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere and only ninety minutes by plane from the United States.   Eighty-five percent of the country’s 9.7 million people live on less than $2 a day.   The country has an average literacy rate of 53% and only half of school age children are able to attend school.   The 2010 earthquake destroyed almost 50% of the nation’s schools and devastated the three main universities in Port au Prince, making a bad situation even worse.   Ninety percent of the schools in Haiti are operated by private entities, such as religious institutions, non-profits or other international organizations.  Fewer than 30 percent of Haitian youth graduate from 6th grade, which also causes a dearth in qualified teachers.

About l’Ecole de Choix /the School of Choice
L’Ecole de Choix (The School of Choice in English or or often referred to just as Choix, pronounced “schwa”) began instruction in October 2011 and currently educates 180 children from grade one through six.   Its physical structures were originally funded through the players of Zynga.Org, however the school’s current and on-going operations are supported entirely through individual contributions.  The vision of Choix is to develop Haitian leaders to lead Haiti and the world.  The school provides a trilingual education – with a focus on leadership development and communication skills - to children living in the deepest conditions of poverty in Haiti, while affirming their individual dignity and autonomy.  The fundamental operating principle of Choix is that education is a right, not a privilege, but one that comes with a responsibility to ourselves, to our communities and to our country.  Choix believes in the paramount sustainability of education, and that by providing children access to a high-quality education Choix is helping to develop the next generation of Haitian leaders, empowering them to shape their own future, strengthen their communities, create their own choices and, ultimately, change the world.

About the School of Choice Education Organization
L’Ecole de Choix is managed by the School of Choice Education Organization, a U.S. tax-exempt 501c3 organization.  The School of Choice Education Organization is responsible for all fund-raising, as well as oversight of operations, design, development, maintenance, and management of l’Ecole de Choix.  The School of Choice Education Organization is also involved in the selection, training, and work with indigenous non-profit organizations, wherever possible, and also maintains primary responsibility for the coordination and oversight of the school’s meal program.