Month: September 2021

Reclaiming the Day

by The Joseph School

“It’s a problem that needed to be solved.”

Dr. Charmaine Baker is more than just a board member of The Joseph School, she’s an advocate for girl’s equality across the world.

Pictured: Dr. Charmaine Baker and her daughter, Joy (14), at The Joseph School Top Golf fundraiser (2021).

Days for Girls (DfG) is a nonprofit organization that increases access to menstrual care and education for women and girls around the globe. Their mission is to reclaim the days young girls miss due to their period. Many young girls don’t have access to menstrual products and therefore miss days of school due to their period, leading to lower classroom performance.

Dr. Baker became involved with DfG after hearing that some of TJS’s older female students were beginning to transition to adulthood. She saw the missions of DfG and TJS paired hand in hand, and was determined to make the connection.

Dr. Baker became an ambassador for health education for girls. She partnered with DfG to attend their teaching module, which discuses sex-ed, self-defense and personal hygiene.

During her learning modules, Dr. Baker’s 14-year-old daughter Joy, found a similar passion for this mission. Joy wanted to help other girls her age to have access to the menstrual products many take for granted.

Pictured: Contents included in the Days for Girls kit.

Joy created a GoFundme campaign to raise money to purchase kits for students at The Joseph School. A kit from Days for Girls includes 2 waterproof shields, 4 reusable liners, underwear, and soap in a portable drawstring bag. The reusable liners are bright and colorful materials, which make them easy to wash and rinse without any stigma.

Pictured: Joy Baker with several Days for Girls kits.

Joy’s campaign was a major success and she was able to provide 100 kits for girls at TJS. But she’s not stopping there. After the recent devastations in Haiti, the need for reusable period products is greater than ever. Joy has just started another GoFundme. The Joseph School has always worked to provide access to education for students in Haiti, and thanks to the work of Dr. Baker and Joy, it now has the opportunity to support it’s students inside and outside the classroom- ensuring every TJS student has an equal opportunity to learn and grow.

 

You can learn more about the mission of Days for Girls at daysforgirls.org

 

Then and Now: 10 years at The Joseph School

by The Joseph School

“Every time the school opens I am always excited to see the kids and get to know the new kids more. It is always a pleasure for me to serve the children and the foundation so that we can have the leader we are looking for for our country,” said Madame Rose (principal of The Joseph School)

Pictured: The first class at The Joseph School (2015).

Ten years ago, Jim Bryson followed a dream to serve the people of Haiti with a foundation he hoped would blossom into a school for future leaders. Four years later, on September 21, 2015, that dream became reality when the Joseph School opened its doors to 31 first grade students and 5 Haitian staff members in a rented two-story house. Today, 10 years after  Jim began the foundation, we begin our 7th school year with 215 students, 36 faculty members, and 24 operating staff on 70 acres of land.

The Joseph School’s mission reaches not only the students, but also the hundreds of families of students and staff.  The school’s impact and influence continue to spread through our dedicated community and supporters across Haiti and the United States.

Our 7th school year marks a momentous occasion for The Joseph School. Our first class of secondary students are beginning more advanced levels in all their subjects. They have new opportunities to grow in critical thinking and wise decision making. Additional coursework includes student government, computer basics, and community service models. The focus on practical social and community skills helps set our students apart as they step into actively learning and participating in how personal and collective leadership works.

Pictured: Some of TJS’s 200+ students at the beginning of the 2021 school year.

We are so proud and excited for these students and grateful for our incredible team who are the heart and daily hands and feet of TJS. Carlo, a teacher at The Joseph School for five years, is our new lead 7th grade teacher.

“I felt really excited on the first day of the opening, seeing the kids in uniform was quite beautiful, especially the 7th graders. What was most fun was the enthusiasm of the students, in the dialogues with their other friends. That showed us how children were excited for school,” said Carlo.

We are immensely grateful for all of our supporters and excited as we implement new plans for the future! We need sponsors for the new class of first graders! Please share our mission and the need for additional student sponsorships with others. Sponsorships help provide books, curriculum, food, and transportation for our growing TJS community.

Thank you! Please visit thejosephschool.org to join in our journey.