Dear friends:
For my letter this week, I have asked Linda Barnes, Rice’s Director of Enrollment, to write a reflection on the Haitian students who recently joined us. Below is her reflection. My letter will continue below in italics.
On Friday, March 12th, at 10:20 PM a group of students arrived at the Burlington International Airport, after what was a very long trip from their native country, Haiti. They were accompanied by Ms. Dorothee Latortue, the Academic Exchange Programs Manager from the U.S. Embassy in Haiti. She was the person who coordinated this venture for all of the students with her, four of whom were destined for Rice Memorial High School. After many weeks of communication, it was very exciting for everyone that the students had finally arrived!
The four girls who are at Rice are all from Port-Au-Prince. Their names and schools are listed below. All four of these schools were destroyed in the earthquake:
Schneida Bruny (grade 12) from Institution du Sacre-Coeur;
Marie Wideline Falaise (grade 12) from College Coeur de Jesus;
Gaelle Laurent (grade 11) from Colle Excelsior;
Jennima Mattelus (grade 12) from Le Jolileen College.
On Monday, I had the opportunity to meet with Dorothee to talk about the academic plans for all of the girls. She helped me to understand that there would be no way for these girls to continue their education in Haiti, as close as they were to completion. I asked her about what it was like to place these few students when there were so many more to help, and her optimistic answer was quite awe-inspiring. She told me that she would just keep working with one student at a time. Later that morning the girls all bravely said good bye to Dorothee, with tears in their eyes.
Although each Haitian student shadowed a Rice student on Monday, the girls very politely told me at the end of the day that they wanted their own schedules, and that they wanted to start working right away. And so, it happened. On Tuesday they started as Rice students! They are so motivated by this second chance.
Our students, teachers, and the greater Rice community are thrilled to welcome these four students. There are three Rice families who are hosting these students. One very important part of our mission is service to others. Of course everyone is aware of the disaster in Haiti, and everyone wants to help. Rice as a community has been blessed with the opportunity to help in a very tangible way, by taking Haitian students out of the devastation and offering them something they want desperately – a chance to continue their education and the possibility of ultimately going to college. By having them here, not only do we get some small perspective on what they have endured, but we also get to see their motivation to succeed, which is beyond comprehension. The life of the school is greatly enriched by this perspective.
St. Benedict taught that Christ is found in every guest that comes to the monastery. Indeed Christ is among us through the presence of these young ladies from Haiti. Rice Memorial High School teaches that in serving the needs of others, students enter the world as compassionate and caring adults. In welcoming these students, our own students see that serving the needs of others requires sacrifice and the ability to open one’s mind, heart, soul, home, and pocketbook. We are blessed at Rice to be able to take these students into our community and help them finish their education. This is a tangible way of living the mission of Rice. I am thankful to all of the Rice community, students, teachers, staff, parents, friends, and alumni who have taken an active part in helping these young ladies in their time of need. I am especially thankful to Linda Barnes for heading up Rice’s efforts on behalf of these four students who experienced great tragedy in their young lives.
Fr. Bernard Bourgeois, Principal