On Monday, November 9, Grace Emmanuel School was abuzz with excitement as teachers and students gathered to welcome in a brand new school year.

As he does every year, Director Andris gathered the student body under the church to welcome them and remind them of school rules.

Leconte, director of pedagogy, then spoke to congratulate all the 10th grade students on their exam success. (The school had found out a day earlier that the whole class had passed their 9th grade government exams—the first time in school history.) He shared his hope that all younger students would follow in the path of success and hoped the school year would be different from any of the ones before.

As the students separated to their new classrooms, they shouted to greet friends, filled with joy to be back together at school. Now in higher grade levels and fresh new uniforms, the students are ready to forget the troubles of last year and start anew.

Perhaps the only students not excited to be at school were the brand new kindergarteners, the 3-year-olds who start 1st kindergarten this year. (There are three years of kindergarten in Haiti.) They cried and clung to their parents, not wanting to say good-bye.

But the class whose excitement for this school year was most evident was the 21 seniors who make up Grace Emmanuel School’s Class of 2021. They took time during their day for photo shoots in their special senior uniforms, sharing their selfies and pictures later on social media.

“I’m happiest this school year because my class will be the fifth graduating class at school,” said Steevenson Dorival (pictured on the left in the photo of two young men above). “We’ve changed the uniform design and everyone loves what we’ve done. All of us are motivated to be the best graduating class yet and have 100% of us pass our baccalaureate exams.”

As the top students in the schoolyard, the seniors each have an air of confidence about them. They’ve made it to their last year, overcoming the thousands of odds stacked against their education in Haiti.

Thank you for being part of all of these students’ success stories. Many of them would not be able to begin kindergarten, let alone graduate, without the gift of a free education that your support makes possible.

Join us in praying for a successful, peaceful, and joyful 2020-2021 academic year. We can’t wait to share the stories that God will write this year through Grace Emmanuel School.

Wendy Pierre began working for JiHM in 2019 as the sponsorship assistant. She currently serves as a liaison for the students of Grace Emmanuel School and assists with communications. Wendy lives in Minotrie with her mom, brother, and sister.

Kristi Bucher has served as Communications Manager for Jesus in Haiti Ministries since 2014. She currently lives in Minnesota with her husband, Nathan, and two kids. Kristi and Nathan lived in Haiti from 2012–2014.