Billikens in Haiti

Thirteen SLU Students spent eight days in June near the city of Cap-Haitien in Northern Haiti. The SLU Students tutored more than 160 Haitian students in the town of Plaine-du-Nord, using “toys” that were designed to stimulate interest in science and engineering, impromptu lessons in English-Creole, and soccer games. Additional, the SLU Students spent time at Meds & Food for Kids, the University of Haiti in Limonade, and World Vision. Following a week of work, the SLU Students visited the Citadel and San Souci Palace in Milot, attended Mass at the Cathedral in Cap-Haitien, and spent a morning at the beach in Cormier before flying back to the US. They were accompanied by Westenior Valmera, a Haitian who plans to return to St Louis for a degree in Business, and by Cecil Thomas, professor in Biomedical Engineering.

The group of Billikens in Haiti included Justin Bell, Marissa Carletta, Alexandra Carlson, Julia Ceglenski, Colleen Cole, Alex Dieckmann, Andrea Fischer, Jane Lee, Joao Lopes, Molly Meyer, Sydney Neal, Kara Tsuzaki, and Kyle Vogt. They were accompanied by Westenior Valmera, a Haitian who plans to return to St Louis for a degree in Business, and by Cecil Thomas, professor in Biomedical Engineering.

The Billikens returned from Haiti with fond memories of a unique adventure in Haiti, but that is not the end of the story. The experiences spawned ideas and new collaborations at the University of Haiti, including projects that address specific issues in Haiti.

The Billikens in Haiti. Sitting are (left to right) Kara Tsuzaki, Kyle Vogt, Jane Lee, Andrea Fischer, Alex Dieckmann, Colleen Cole, Marissa Carletta, Joao Lopes, Sydney Neal, Alex Carlson, Molly Meyer, and Julia Ceglenski. In back are Justin Bell (left) and Cecil Thomas (right).