For most teachers, summer is an opportunity to relax and recharge, while for others it’s an opportunity to broaden horizons and try new things.
In July, Roxane Thomas, a Grade 1-2 teacher at École Desrochers, will be travelling to Haiti with three other teachers from across Canada to work with local Haitian teachers to improve the impoverished nation’s education system.
The program is called Project Overseas 2015 and is funded by the Canadian Teachers’ Federation. This year 50 teachers from across Canada will spend a month in 12 countries across Africa and the Caribbean.
In addition to imparting her own skills, Thomas has also been raising money to buy materials to bring with her.
“My students in Grade 1 and 2 wanted to help because [the Haitian teachers] don’t have a lot of resources,” said Thomas.
To raise money, students put their cooking skills to the test and offered staff and students a lasagna lunch for $5, June 11. In total, the students raised $350, thanks to a few extra donations.
For the past two years, students have been taking cooking classes from chef Alexandre Decoste, who works at LouLou’s Pizzeria.
With a new kitchen to work with in the new joint school facility, Decoste said it’s made it a lot easier to teach students and to cook for more people.
As well as accepting cash donations, Thomas is also accepting material donations, such as books, as long as they are in French.
“I would like them to leave not only with knowledge, but also the materials they need,” said Thomas, speaking about the teachers she’ll be working with.
“I know that we will be teaching about 100 teachers and they will be coming from all over Haiti,” she said. “Some teachers are travelling eight hours to come to these sessions, so I really want to do the best I can to help them.”
Paul Clarke
[email protected]
