May of 2011 is a historic period for the Le Flambeau Foundation as it represents significant steps forward in the path of the Foundation and in that of the youth touched by it. In May of 2011 the Le Flambeau Foundation took the graduation walk with three scholarship recipients from Haiti who completed their college programs and are headed to their next stage, as they prepare to give back in ways that will help rebuild Haiti. The pride I felt as I attended the graduation ceremony at Berea College and witnessed scholars Rachelle and Christelle receiving their diplomas, and as I presented the Certificate of Achievement to Ruchama at the Le Flambeau Foundation Graduation Reception held in Miami; cannot be put into words. It is the most powerful feeling that one can imagine.
Time flies and although we’ve shared the story before I cannot resist sharing it again. It was four years ago that two students living in Haiti earned Le Flambeau Foundation scholarships and an opportunity to come to the U.S. and attend college, with the ultimate goal of giving back to Haiti. Two scholars, Rachelle Mathurin and Christelle Louis, each earned a four-year college degree at Berea College. Both scholars will be attending graduate school with Rachelle headed to the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and ultimately returning to Haiti. The third scholar, Ruchama Charles, received the first Le Flambeau Foundation Earthquake Scholarship and recently completed her college term at North Central Missouri College; earning an “A” in her priority Accounting subject and an impressive cumulative GPA of 3.5 – she is the first of the
scholars to have headed back to Haiti to begin her rebuilding commitment.
We are proud of these young scholars. They serve as role models for youth in Haiti, representing the power we have within ourselves to never give up and the power we create around ourselves by sharing it with others. A special THANK YOU is extended to Le Flambeau Foundation corporate supporters – Quarles & Brady LLP, Dell Computers, Topics Entertainment, Legacy Bank, and ©Nopin Long Distance. We also thank the many individuals who continue to go beyond the call and played a key role in making this happen – P. Campbell and his team, Rocky, A. Kralj-Hill, D. Lochet, A. Llanos, T. Doome, and many others (see Supporter page) and our Board of Directors – J. Puchner, T. Wright, S. Colas-Gervais and G. Collingwood. Thank you. To give back is to pass it forward.
In looking at the graduating scholars and their experiences I am reminded that the Le Flambeau Foundation is a portal serving to provide educational opportunity to youth in Haiti. We are one member of a larger family of supporters that comes forward along the way and that will remain with the scholars for the rest of their lives. We now have new scholar candidates ready and we are determined to make the next scholarship experience happen for a young person in Haiti, ideally for a September start. Together we have the power to put this in motion, and it’s happening…we simply need to accelerate. May of 2011 was an incredible month. Special recognition goes out to the graduated scholars and to all the new, as well as the seasoned, members of the larger family. Congratulations!
Sincerely,
Jean St.Lot-GervaisPresident, Le Flambeau Foundation Inc. Board Members: J. St.Lot-Gervais, J. Puchner, T. Wright III, G. Collingwood, S. Colas-Gervais See graduation 2011 pictures – Graduation Reception in Miami, Berea College , Haitian Art Silent Auction Items To change a young life and the many lives that she/he will touch in Haiti, and be a part of the next Le Flambeau Foundation scholarship to be awarded, please contact us at Le Flambeau Foundation Inc., 1172 S. Dixie HWY, #203, Coral Gables, FL 33146, 305.596.2819 – or you may go to our website (www.leflambeau-foundation.org) and donate now. The Le Flambeau Foundation is a Wisconsin 501(c)3 non-profit corporation in its sixth year of operation.