Our stake in the ground

Late yesterday afternoon, as the sun was sinking behind Haiti's tall and noble mountains, our small team secured the last signature needed to finalize the purchase of a 23-acre parcel of land - marking the end of an eight-month search and the beginning of our journey to raise the standards of education available to both students and teachers.

Nestled into the foothills of the Central Plateau, this expansive property will be home to Summits Academy, a college-preparatory school and teacher training center. In addition to providing over 300 high-performing students with access to a competitive curriculum centered on social justice and entrepreneurship, Summits Academy will provide ongoing professional development to the 336 teachers and administrators in our network of 42 primary schools. 

Our hub and spoke model has been inspired by countries such as Finland, Poland and South Korea; countries that have overhauled their education sectors and increased their standards of academic rigor by doubling-down on the most critical school-based factor on student outcomes: teachers.  Dr. Paul Farmer, the alchemist of alliteration, often talks about the 4 S's of international development; he argues that genuine and systemic impact requires the establishment of systems, the availability of stuff (supplies), the creation of structures or spaces, and finally, an investment in staff. In the context of development in Haiti, it's that fourth "s," - the capacity of Haitians to lift their own country out of poverty  - that is often overlooked. And it is from this place that we begin our work ahead.

Our team is grateful to all who helped us get to this pivotal moment and we look forward to joining forces with others who believe in the power of the teacher and the potential of the student.

Mike Chambers
Executive Director
Summits Education

Preparing Haiti's tomorrow, today.

Several Haitians I met recently shared with me the old joke that their country is the only one in the world that has a last name, as in “Haiti The Poorest Country In The Western Hemisphere.” Unquestionably, Haiti has seen- indeed, still sees- much struggle and poverty and devastation, but what motivates our work at Summits Education is less about the need as it is about the potential.

Recently, as we were driving up the winding roads of the Central Plateau, my Haitian colleague pointed to an expansive and dirty lake and declared, "Even that won't stop them from going to school."  I nodded and laughed - in that way one does when pretending to understand. She continued, "Come here in the early hours of the morning, and you will see groups of boys swimming naked across this lake, to get to school."  Having spent many years working with students in poor and rural settings, I had seen a lot of impressive makeshift school buses, but I had never heard of anything like this. I couldn’t help but ask the obvious question: where do they keep their clothes? My colleague replied: "They fold their uniforms up, wrap them in plastic bags and tie them to their heads while they swim across the lake, before getting dressed and climbing the steep hill to school."

It's this sense of grit and determination that inspires us. Imagine meeting those students on the other side of that lake with a school that offers a world class education. Our vision for a college-preparatory school in Haiti’s Central Plateau is being developed by a growing team of educators who recognize that quality education transforms countries. International aid alone cannot build lasting infrastructure. Ultimately, a country’s citizens are the only effective architects of a civil society. As part of our commitment to equip a generation of future leaders with the tools necessary to effect systemic change, our curriculum will emphasize both issues of social justice and opportunities for entrepreneurship. Summits Academy will accommodate up to 300 high-performing secondary students, through grades 7-12.

Regardless of what matters most to you - whether it is science, global health, economic development, or environmental conservation- education is the only force that can improve all aspects of society. There is a massive, untapped resource in Haiti that has the ability to write the country’s future: thousands of bright children who are eager for a chance to go to school and shape their own future. All they lack is a chance to go to a school worthy of their dreams and talents.

I am excited for what we can do together.

Mike Chambers

Role of the school in the community

Below is an excerpt from a recent report conducted within the Summits network of schools by the University of Notre Dame ACE Network.

Respondents were asked to report what their school represents to their community. Because of the eloquence of the responses, a series of quotes from the focus groups are presented below to illustrate the importance of the schools to the participants. These strong feelings were common across all of the schools. 

The school “represents the future.”
Because of the school, “the way they (students) used to dream in their past is totally different nowadays.”
The school “transforms our children.”
“The school is the strength of the society.”
“The school is a development agent for the community.”
The school “shines the community.”
The school “makes our children dream differently.”
The school is “a daily bread that feeds our kids brain and a pride for their future.”
“If there is no school, there is no future for our kids, either.”
The school is “educating people who solve the problems of the country and the community.”
The school “means hope for us and our children.”
The school is “like a treasure that was hidden somewhere and this community is the one who found it.”

Summits schools were particularly credited with improving student attitudes and behaviors in addition to performing the academic functions of increasing knowledge and career preparation. They were referred to as "bank accounts" that are helping communities to prepare for their futures through investments in children. Students at the schools were thought to be more likely to avoid jail, pregnancy, and delinquency and to get good jobs that would benefit the overall community. Even if the students left to finish school elsewhere, it was thought they would be likely to return and work in the area.

The schools also benefit the communities by employing teachers who would otherwise be without jobs and income. This is indicative of the sense that the schools are key players in a virtuous cycle for communities. By benefiting students, families, teachers, and other stakeholders, those individuals develop the skills and stability to help others, thereby perpetuating an ongoing process of community development. 

Coupled with these strong feelings about the importance of the schools, participants expressed a deep sense of ownership of the schools. This reinforces the centrality of the schools to the communities, and is also a credit to the manner in which the schools were developed and the methods used to generate community engagement. Because of the sense that the schools belong to the communities, the teachers, parents, and other focus group participants all expressed willingness to volunteer to help the schools in any way that they could. Many described ways in which they have helped in the past or on an ongoing basis—such as assisting with construction, providing materials, hauling water and food, setting up events, and cleaning. And they appeared eager to assist in the future as new needs arise. They reported attending meetings whenever the principal organized them to remain current on what is happening in the school and to help as needed. In addition, they all desired the formation of school committees in order to facilitate participation in decision making, maintain awareness of the schools’ needs, and identify new opportunities to provide assistance. Parents’ and teachers’ reports of their roles in making decisions for the schools did vary across the schools, indicating that some principals welcomed advice and additional perspectives more than others.