St. Bernard High School Presentation
The auditorium is quiet except for a few students and John and Pauline Aliskevicz. One student is preparing the presentation with the projector and screen. The other students huddle together and help display Haitian hand-made items.
Suddenly, the bell sounds and voices and calamity come from the hall into the auditorium. The students of St. Bernard Central Catholic High School, Fitchburg and their teachers enter and take their seats.
The presentation begins with the history of Haitian Outreach and the work that has been done for over 20 years with the children of Haiti, in conjunction with the Sisters of the Mary Queen Immaculate.
A picture is worth a thousand words and the students see a make-shift home with corrugated metal sides and roof. Many in Haiti live in places like this. Students walk for miles to go to school.
Pictures of our students in the schools we visit in March are displayed. Naika is 20yo and is in the 4th grade. She is an excellent student and so happy to be in school. Her family lives in a one-room home with 9 people living there right now. They use the bathroom at the school next door. No one works and living is a day-to-day effort. Haitians are resilient spiritual people and grateful for the help and support we provide.
We mention that only 60% of adults in Haiti can read and write. This is hard to imagine in this United States of America. There are few public schools; so if no one works in your family, your children are unable to learn and get an education.
We have everyone’s attention; it is time for Q&A. A teacher asks: “What do Haitian children eat for lunch?” We hesitate, and there are mumblings in the crowd about lunch period coming up and the choices. Sadly, many Haitian children only eat every 3 days. There is no food if you do not have money. Some children only eat every 3 days. Some will put a kidney bean in and suck on it for the nutrition. It has been a pleasure to speak to these young people and talk to them about a place of such poverty.
We are thanked with an applause and the students of the Nagle Honor Society hand us an envelope with $113.00 inside. They had a dress-down day and charged $3.00/student. The school sponsors a child- Fleurdy Royer- and this money will be given to him as “rice money” when we see him in March.
The students also surprise us by presenting us with an award for “Character Recognition”, which is one of the goals for the honor society in February. We are pleased and moved to receive this award for the work we do in Haiti.
The Honor society will have collection bins in the hall at the high school for new and used backpacks, school supplies and non-perishable food through the next few month. God bless you all!