Sponsor-A-Student
The Sponsor-A-Student program provides tuition, books, and hope to the children of St Theresa of the Infant Jesus Catholic School in St Jean du Sud. Many of the families in the parish are unable to pay for school for their children in either the Catholic School or at the National (public) School.
People can send just $100 per school year to the Haiti Sponsor-A-Student program by using the S-A-S donation form. Money for the school year will be collected from March to August for the following school year which starts in October.
Presently, HR sponsors about 150 children at St Theresa of the Infant Jesus School. The school serves about 600 children from pre-school to 8th grade. HR also supports the school and the children by sending donated school supplies each spring in the sea container shipment.
For more information, feel free to contact Corky Bahr at 314-961-0230.
Scholarship Program
The Holy Redeemer Haiti Committee Scholarship Program began in 2007 in an effort to support the educational pursuits of the youth of our sister parish, St. Jean du Sud, Haiti. Many young people of Haiti have the ability and desire to continue their education or pursue vocational training beyond the secondary level but are prevented from doing so because they do not have the financial means. Those who demonstrate a desire to improve their community and to contribute in positive ways to Haiti’s future are the students the Scholarship Program most wants to help.
Each June scholarship applications are submitted for review by a committee of community leaders in St. Jean du Sud under the leadership of the pastor of St. Jean du Sud. Scholarship applicants provide information regarding their academic achievements, future academic goals and areas of study, activities within the parish and community, and letters of recommendation. Those applications which meet these requirements and are representative of young people who would most benefit from a scholarship award are forwarded to Holy Redeemer Haiti Committee for final review. Funds are distributed to applicants in time for them to be able to begin school in October.
In 2011 $4500 was awarded to applicants. A total of 21 students will be studying education, accounting, agriculture, mechanics, carpentry, medicine, economics, and communication among other fields. Since the inception of the Scholarship Program, individuals have completed courses of study in masonry, education, and law. For more information or to donate please contact Janey Menner at jasmenner@sbcglobal.net.
Harry Hosey School in Boyer
All schools, Catholic, National (public), or private, in Haiti require that the children wear uniforms and shoes. Many families are unable to send their children to school since they do not have money for uniforms, shoes, tuition and supplies. Father Bernard, Pastor of St Jean du Sud Parish, felt a need to have a school in the area where children could be educated no matter how they dressed. He had a small, one room building in Boyer (one of the chapel areas a few miles southwest of St Jean) that he designated as a “school” for these children. He found a volunteer teacher and the first year, he had about 15 children of all ages and he began to build a second room. The Haiti Committee found donations to assist Father in this effort.
Harry Hosey was one of the founders of the Parish Twinning Program in Haiti. He and his family often went to Haiti to volunteer in many areas. One of his daughters was Barbara Joern of our parish. With her family and then her own children, she continued Harry Hosey’s legacy. At Barb’s funeral, her family designated that donations in her honor be given to the HR Haiti Committee. Those donations were used to expand and improve the school in Boyer. The school (now with 4 rooms) has been named in honor of Barbara’s father.
Now, donations made to the Harry Hosey School are used to pay the salary of the teachers as well as other costs. The school does not charge tuition and children are accepted as they are – with or without shoes and uniforms.