LCS National Exam Results Are In! And They Are Perfect!

This fall, Louverture Cleary students from the Philo (US 12th grade +1) and Katryèm (US 9th grade) classes sat for their respective state exams, a success in itself given the COVID-19 pandemic and political unrest challenging the nation.

Passing the Philo Baccalaureate Exam will allow the graduates of the Class of 2020 to gain admission to university, and the Katryèm state exam allows students to progress from the Fondamentale curriculum to Twayzèm (US 10th grade), the beginning of the Secondaire curriculum and their final four years at LCS.

We just received the results, and we are thrilled to report a 100 percent pass rate for both the Philo Baccalaureate and Katryèm state exams!

With these results, LCS celebrates the continued tradition of success it has come to be known for in Haiti.

Patrick B., Haitian private sector leader and head of THP’s partner foundations in Haiti, reflects on the perfect results:

Despite a very difficult year, during which LCS students were repeatedly distracted by the confusion of unrest, the fears and restrictions that came with the COVID-19 pandemic, and the uncertainty of knowing whether official exams would even be programmed, LCS is proud to confirm a 100 percent pass rate for the Katryèm and Philo 2020 national exams. Once again, the focus and determination of each and every one of our Louverturians has been remarkable.

We're Excited to Announce the December Issue of Haitian Project News!

Read all about it…

The COVID-19 pandemic and instability in Haiti have made travel and other activities in the country considerably more challenging, causing many activities to take much longer than usual. Nevertheless, The Haitian Project is moving the Louverture Cleary Schools Network forward despite these challenges.

What's else is new in this issue? Read about:

• Louverture Cleary School hosted the Katryèm (US 9th grade) class and the 2020 Philo (US 12th grade + 1) graduates separately for a week of exam prep and then again during their actual exam periods.

• 2020 Louverture Cleary graduate Lyncée Charles placed third in Haiti in national essay competition about the COVID-19 pandemic.

• And more!

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Long-time THP Community Member Partners with Pope Francis

Brian Moynihan (second from left) with then THP President Deacon Patrick Moynihan (center) at Louverture Cleary School in Haiti in 2012.

Brian Moynihan, an early THP board chair, supporter for nearly thirty years, and brother of THP President Emeritus Deacon Patrick Moynihan, has partnered with Pope Francis to work together to create a more inclusive capitalism.

Brian, who is the CEO of Bank of America, is joined by Salesforce.com’s Marc Benioff and other prominent business leaders in announcing the Council for Inclusive Capitalism with the Vatican, which describes itself as a movement to build a more inclusive, sustainable and trusted economic system that addresses the needs of our people and the planet.

“Inclusive Capitalism addresses society’s most important priorities such as driving prosperity, equality and economic opportunity for everyone,” Brian said in a statement. “It is critical that we align the capital, creativity and innovation from the private sector to solve for these pressing global challenges.”

We are grateful to Brian and to all our supporters who are creating durable economic, social and environmental progress in Haiti through education, and we applaud this most recent effort with Pope Francis to make the world a better place by ensuring we have an economic system that, as the Pope describes it, “leaves no one behind, that discards none of our brothers and sisters.”

The idea of putting others first is, of course, what The Haitian Project and Louverture Cleary School are all about. (Make sure you don’t miss the picture below!)

You can read more about Brian and the Council HERE.

Louverture Cleary School class of 2015 mural

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Our Mission

The Haitian Project through its support of Louverture Cleary Schools, a national network of tuition-free, Catholic, co-educational secondary boarding schools in Haiti, provides for the education of academically-talented and motivated students from Haitian families who cannot afford the cost of their children’s education in order to maximize their potential and enable them to work toward building a Haiti where justice and peace thrive.

Looking for a Gift that Really Matters?

Louverture Cleary School continues to provide a top-notch education to Haiti’s future servant-leaders.

Looking for a thoughtful gift for a teacher, friend, family member, or just about anyone else this holiday season?

Give the Gift of Education, it is the gift that never stops giving!

Make a donation in any amount to The Haitian Project in honor of a friend or family member this holiday season, and The Haitian Project will send a Christmas card notifying your loved one of the gift given in their honor!

Simply submit the form, either online or on paper to sign up.

Your gift allows The Haitian Project to continue to feed, house and educate 360 students—Haiti’s future servant-leaders—each year.

In order for your family and friends to receive a card notifying them of your gift by Christmas Eve, The Haitian Project needs to receive your donation by Monday morning, December 21st. Thank you!

Louverturian's Success Highlights LCS's Excellence

Lyncée C. (LCS ’20) at the Centre Muse Haiti award ceremony

Louverture Cleary School students and graduates are known as Louverturians because they embody the values of the school community: placing others before themselves, working hard, and committing to building a brighter future for their country.

Among the many stories of Louverturians impacting their communities and country is the recent success of Lyncée C. (LCS ’20). After the COVID-19 pandemic brought her final year at LCS to a halt in March, Lyncée and her peers had to return home to quarantine and continue their studies in alternate ways.

While looking for ways to stay engaged and active during this challenging time, Lyncée discovered that a Haitian cultural institution, the Centre Muse Haiti, was holding a national essay competition about the COVID-19 pandemic.

In response to one of five possible prompts, Lyncée wrote an essay addressing the mistrust and skepticism many Haitians feel toward their government and whether this mistrust permits citizens to disregard the government’s pandemic response policies. She reflected on how the people of Haiti may distrust the state because of corruption, lack of transparency, and a lack of support for even the basic needs of the population living in poverty.

In spite of these challenges, true to her Louverturian formation, her essay remained focused on the path forward, concluding that the seriousness of the virus and the importance of the protocols implemented should rise above negative feelings toward the Haitian government. This, she argued, was imperative to protect the health and well-being of Haitians and to not create another tragedy for an already suffering people. 

After LCS Principal Marjorie M. (LCS ’07) was informed last month that Lyncée had placed in the top ten entries in the country, she and Lyncée attended a socially-distanced award ceremony to learn that Lyncée had placed third overall in the national contest!

Principal M. reflects:

I am proud of Lyncée. She decided on her own to participate in the competition and was awarded third place. Once again, LCS is top in the country, proof that our students receive a great education. It elevates the reputation of the school and reminds everyone that LCS aims for excellence.

Congratulations to Lyncée on her success and congratulations to Louverture Cleary School for once again being among the top schools in Haiti!

We also want to congratulate YOU, our supporters, for continuing to be the help we have to give! If you are able to do so, we hope you will support our work at this time. Thank you!

The September Issue of Haitian Project News is Here!

Facilities Manager Odson F. in the computer lab of the Radia Laboratory of Science and Technology.

We're excited to announce the September issue of 
Haitian Project News!

Louverture Cleary School's newly-finished Radia Laboratory of Science and Technology is complete and stands ready for the students’ return as soon as LCS is able to re-open for the new school year!

What's else is new in this issue? Read about:

• With Careful Planning and Continued Success, Louverture Cleary School is preparing for the eventual start of the 2020-2021 school year! While many schools in Haiti are making up classes now to complete the last school year, LCS is preparing to move forward despite a year of challenges, having already satisfied the 2019-2020 school year requirements and distributed diplomas to LCS’s 25th graduating class.

• We’re celebrating another LCS National Laureate! Rising LCS Sekond (US 11th grade) student Marquez Michel placed first in the entire nation on the 2019 Katryem (US 9th grade) state exam! 

• LCS alumni Jhonny F., M.D.'s (LCS '00) career has seen him stepping forward as a leading medical professional during the 2010 cholera epidemic. Then in 2013, Jhonny started a specialization in obstetrics/gynecology, eventually returning to Port-au-Prince in 2019 to open a private OB/GYN clinic while beginning a master's degree in public health.

• And all of latest THP happenings and feature stories in the September issue of Haitian Project News!

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Celebrating Another LCS National Laureate!

Louverture Cleary School recently learned that rising LCS Sekond (US 11th grade) student Marquez M. placed first in the entire nation on the 2019 Katryem (US 9th grade) state exam! This exam is required to pass from the fundamental to the secondary level of the Haitian school curriculum. 

Rising LCS Sekond (US 11th grade) student Marquez M.

Because of the disruptions to the 2019-2020 school year in Haiti, a result of the civil unrest last fall and more recently the COVID-19 pandemic, these exam results were not officially announced through the usual public ceremony. 

Nevertheless, we are taking this moment to celebrate Marquez's achievement and LCS’s place among the top schools in Haiti.

We also continue to celebrate YOU, our supporters, without whom there could be no LCS. If you are able to do so, we hope you will support our work at this time. Thank you for being the help we have to give!

LCS Grad Innovates His Way Through the Pandemic

When the COVID-19 pandemic reached Haiti in March 2020, students were among many across Haiti who found themselves unable to continue their everyday routines.

Romain M. (LCS '19) works on the prototype of an eco-friendly stove.

Like so many Louverture Cleary School graduates, Romain M. (LCS '19) found himself unable to continue studying economics at the state university. And, like a true Louverturian, Romain chose to use this uncertain, newly-imposed free time to better his community.

Before the pandemic, Romain had begun a project to build an eco-friendly stove which produces heat generated by the weight of the cooking pot placed on top of it. "There is a public market in my neighborhood where charcoal is sold,” reflects Romain on the origin of his idea, “and it’s heartbreaking to think of how many trees are destroyed every year all over the country. As a kid, I would think of ways to end this. Today I want to create something that can help reduce it."

Having gotten the idea after a friend introduced him to a global organization working in Haiti called Clean Cooking Alliance, Romain has spent time during the pandemic working to develop a prototype of the stove.

Like Romain, many LCS Alumni have been inspired by the school's stewardship of resources and the environment, including its robust waste management program, and have taken those lessons and practices to their home communities.

"LCS has influenced me in many ways. One of them is caring for my environment,” says Romain. “Also, LCS has taught me that no matter how big the issue is, I can do something about it. This why I developed this project and I am looking for the means to realize it."

Along with developing his invention, Romain would like to eventually return to university to finish his economics degree, then hopes to pursue a degree in engineering. We wish him the best of luck with the eco-friendly stove, and we look forward to updating you on his project in the future!

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A Note from The Haitian Project

We understand that these are challenging times and that many people are confronted with significant hardships.

But this is precisely why we still have to ask and pray that those who can give, will. Our teachers and staff in Haiti rely on our support; and we are going to be there for our 360 students when schools re-open again. Please give today if you can.

A Love of Medicine, a Life of Service

This past June, we celebrated the Louverture Cleary School (LCS) Class of 2020 and the servant-leaders they will become. They will not be short on role models as they join a long line of LCS graduates. One such alum is Jhonny F., M.D.

Jhonny Fequiere, M.D. (LCS '00)

After graduating from LCS in June 2000, Dr. Jhonny F. earned a highly-coveted spot at the Medical School of the State University of Haiti.

“It was not easy,” Jhonny recalls. “Medical school [in Haiti], like everywhere in the world, is tough. To succeed, you have to study day and night, and be smart, dedicated, and diligent.”

After six years of study, his mandatory year of social service brought him to Artibonite where he remained for several years. During this time, he stepped forward as a leading medical professional during the 2010 cholera epidemic (Haiti's Cholera Death Toll Mounts, BBC, 10/23/10;  Press in the Time of Cholera, Catholic News Agency, 10/27/10). Then in 2013, Jhonny started a specialization in obstetrics/gynecology, eventually returning to Port-au-Prince in 2019 to open a private OB/GYN clinic while beginning a master's degree in public health.

Jhonny's desire to pursue a career in medicine began at LCS when he and other students would translate for and assist visiting medical teams (Louverturians are fluent in four languages—Kreyòl, French, English and Spanish) as part of LCS's community service programs. “I was involved in all activities with those teams…This is where I started falling in love with medicine…This taught me that being a doctor would be a good choice for me to continue helping those in need.”

Jhonny, like his fellow doctors in Haiti, has had a difficult time since the COVID-19 pandemic reached Haiti. 

Dr. Johnny F. attributes Louverture Cleary School with his interest in pursuing a career in medicine.

“It is very difficult to continue taking care of people in different private and public healthcare facilities. The medical staff does not have adequate equipment to protect themselves from getting COVID-19. The Haitian government and medical staff are trying to do the best to contain this pandemic, but it’s still difficult. The Haitian healthcare system has many problems and was not prepared for such a situation.”

Haiti's healthcare system significantly lacks the capacity of other countries in the western hemisphere. Whereas the United States has 25 doctors per 10,000 people, Haiti has 2.5.

“Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world, and the healthcare system receives just a fraction of the national budget," said Jhonny. “Hospitals are under-equipped. Hospital staffs are not well paid. People are not covered by insurance. According to those problems, this healthcare system needs to be changed. To have this result, the Haitian politicians need to sit together in order to have common objectives to get the country out of this situation.”

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A Note from The Haitian Project

We understand that these are challenging times and that many people are confronted with significant hardships.

But this is precisely why we still have to ask and pray that those who can give, will. Our teachers and staff in Haiti rely on our support; and we are going to be there for our 360 students when schools re-open again. Please give today if you can.

Calling Workers to the Harvest… The LCS Missionary Program

Ever felt called to missionary service? Know someone who would be a good fit for our community in Haiti? It may seem like an unusual time to consider a call to service in Haiti... or, it may be the perfect time!

Missionaries teach outside the classroom, too: students learn about plants as they develop the rooftop garden on campus.

For over 25 years, The Haitian Project’s mission and charism have been lived out and exemplified at Louverture Cleary School outside of Port-au-Prince, Haiti by its vibrant community of Missionary teachers (formerly known as "Volunteers").

Missionaries of all ages have brought stability in chaotic times, determination in challenging tasks, and joy in everyday living while embracing and leading the greater Louverture Cleary School community.

Life of the Missionary Community includes:

• Living in community with other missionaries and Haitian staff members
  

• Teaching classes, such as English, religion or economics

• Leading extracurriculars such as sports and clubs, giving the chance for students to be enriched both in and out of the classroom

• Participating in the physical development and upkeep of the campus

• Participating in daily community prayer and weekly Mass

Email [email protected] to contact The Haitian Project for more information regarding the Missionary program. You can also find out more about being a Missionary at Louverture Cleary School and how to apply for the program here:

More Information on the LCS Missionary Program Flyer

Application Information

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