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'At a place I never thought would be possible...' TeacHaiti founder to visit lakes area next week

In the decade-plus since Miquette Denie McMahon first founded the nonprofit educational organization TeacHaiti, it has flourished. "TeacHaiti is at a place that I never thought would be possible, in my wildest dream," says McMahon. "Our students ...

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TeacHaiti founder Miquette Denie McMahon will be making a series of appearances in the Detroit Lakes area next week to help raise funds for her nonprofit educational foundation. (Submitted photo)

In the decade-plus since Miquette Denie McMahon first founded the nonprofit educational organization TeacHaiti, it has flourished.

"TeacHaiti is at a place that I never thought would be possible, in my wildest dream," says McMahon. "Our students are so happy and are learning so many wonderful things from a group of devoted teachers and staff."

Since its beginnings in 2007, TeacHaiti has opened not just one, but two schools in McMahon's native Haiti - the first, located in the capital city of Port-au-Prince, which opened in September 2010, and a second, smaller school in her hometown, St. Michel, which opened in the fall of 2016. The number of students it serves has also grown, from just 41 in 2007-08 to over 400 in 2017-18.

"The School of Hope in Port-au-Prince has 230 students," McMahon says. "The School of Hope in St. Michel has 56, between ages 3-5. In addition, we have a group of students we are supporting (in other schools), including 20 college students.

"I am in awe of the difference this program is making in Haiti," she continued. "Some of our (former) students are now working for the program as well."

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One of those former students, Manuel, is a certified accountant who heads up TeacHaiti's scholarship program, as well as what McMahon refers to as a "micro-credit" program - "a program we initiated a year ago in order to help parents receive small loans to start small businesses that will, in turn, help their families."

The St. Michel School of Hope has also become something of a tourist attraction, McMahon noted.

"According to neighbors, people who visit St. Michel usually make a stop by the school to see how beautiful it is," she said. "I am very proud of that school. It was built with much love and resources from our donors."

The school has also become a source of pride for McMahon's hometown, as well as an outreach center for its residents.

McMahon refers to Detroit Lakes as "the birthplace of TeacHaiti," because it was here, more than 10 years ago, that she first established the board of directors and began raising funds to provide tuition for its first students.

Because of this, she tries to make at least one annual visit to the community - and this year, that visit will start on Sunday, April 8, continuing through Sunday, April 15, with appearances at several area church services and meetings of community organizations.

Her schedule will be as follows:

• Sunday, April 8: Cormorant Lutheran Church, 8:30 a.m.

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• Monday, April 9: KDLM Radio's "Hodge Podge," 8:30 a.m.

• Tuesday, April 10: Detroit Lakes Breakfast Rotary, Lodge on the Lake, 7 a.m.; Detroit Lakes Kiwanis, Holiday Inn, 12 noon; Lund Lutheran Church, 3 p.m. (Lund Lutheran Women).

• Wednesday, April 11: First Lutheran Church, Mahnomen (time to be determined); First Lutheran Church, Detroit Lakes, 6:15 p.m.

• Thursday, April 12: Detroit Lakes Noon Rotary, Holiday Inn, 12 noon; Alpha Delta Kappa-Alpha Theta Chapter, Detroit Lakes, 5 p.m.

• Friday, April 13: Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Detroit Lakes, 9 a.m.

• Saturday, April 14: Eksjo Lutheran Church, Lake Park, 10 a.m.

• Sunday, April 15: First Lutheran Church, Fargo (time to be determined).

"I am super excited to be coming back to Detroit Lakes and staying for a bit longer, to share with our supporters, give them updates and answer any questions they may have about TeacHaiti," McMahon said.

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The public is also invited to Detroit Lakes' La Barista coffee shop for a "Meet and Greet with Miquette" on Monday, April 9 from 4 to 6:30 p.m.

Though there is no charge to attend, any donations given during McMahon's appearances here in Detroit Lakes and the surrounding area will be used to support TeacHaiti.

"As we grow, our financial obligations increase as well," McMahon said. "We depend upon our supporters to help us keep TeacHaiti going forward. The funds raised support a variety of programs."

For $1 a day, or $365 a year, donors can sponsor a child's annual TeacHaiti tuition.

"This scholarship program gives a child a fighting chance in life," McMahon says. "We also use the funds received from our supporters to help our fine arts program, which includes music and art classes. We use our funds to initiate sustainable programs which include a garden and also a goat program. I am super thrilled to see this program flourish because it is a great educational field for our students as well. Whether a teacher is teaching biology, geometry, or another class, they can use the garden during lessons, to teach our students.

"Also, it encourages our teachers to not stay in their classrooms for everything. Most of our teachers stay stationary in their classrooms; not much movement takes place during the day, except for recess and lunch time. Therefore, we are encouraging them to find things that nature provides to get the students out of their classrooms and learn in the natural environment. For instance, our kindergarten teachers are coming outside more often to teach our students activities such as counting by using rocks, or the leaves in our garden to teach shapes... when students can visualize and quantify what they say, touch and see, it makes learning much more efficient. Often times no fancy equipment is needed for that to be accomplished.

"In May we will be receiving a group of Concordia College students and faculty as part of a pilot program they will be doing with their nursing and French (language) departments. I am very looking forward to see this program flourish for TeacHaiti and the Concordia students together," McMahon said.

"I would love the opportunity to see as many people as I can while I am in the Detroit Lakes and Fargo-Moorhead area," she added. "My schedule is posted on our website ( www.teachaiti.org ), as well on the TeacHaiti Facebook page. Please come visit with me. I will be bringing some items for sale such as the metalwork (made from recycled 55-gallon oil drums) and jewelry made by our older students and their parents.
"I will have students' profile cards as well, if someone wishes to become a sponsor. The need is great; the waiting list is long so we need as many sponsors as we can find. Please consider giving the gift of education that will change the course of a child's life forever - for just $1 a day."

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Those who are not able to visit with Miquette during her stay in the lakes area can also donate by visiting the TeacHaiti website, www.teachaiti.org , or by sending a check to: TeacHaiti, P.O. Box 1173, Detroit Lakes MN 56501.

A reporter at Detroit Lakes Newspapers since relocating to the community in October 2000, Vicki was promoted to Community News Lead for the Detroit Lakes Tribune and Perham Focus on Jan. 1, 2022. She has covered pretty much every "beat" that a reporter can be assigned, from county board and city council to entertainment, crime and even sports. Born and raised in Madelia, Minnesota, she is a graduate of Hamline University, from which she earned a bachelor's degree in English literature (writing concentration). You can reach her at 218-844-1454 or vgerdes@dlnewspapers.com.

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