Winter 2026–2027 | News from the Diocese of Wisconsin's Haiti Partnership
In Jeannette, Haiti, a new school year is underway. Classrooms are full, music fills the schoolyard, and 483 children are learning, growing, and building a future worth believing in.
The Sound of Hope in Jeannette
St. Marc musicians performing Haïti Chérie .
There is a beloved Haitian song called Haïti Chérie, meaning Beloved Haiti. It celebrates the beauty of a homeland: warm sunshine, rivers, trees offering shade, and gentle breezes that make even the hottest days pleasant.
For generations, Haitians have sung this song as an expression of love for their country, whether living at home or far away.
This fall, the music of Haïti Chérie rang out at St. Marc School in Jeannette as students celebrated Haitian Culture Day.
The schoolyard came alive with traditional food, colorful clothing, music, and dancing. Students and teachers gathered to celebrate the traditions that connect them to generations before them.
It was a joyful reminder of something easily forgotten when we read the headlines: Haiti is more than its hardships.
Haiti is also a country of beautiful traditions, strong communities, dedicated teachers, and children with dreams as big as those of children anywhere.
At St. Marc School, that story continues every day.
Haïti Chérie, Translated:
Haiti, my beloved, no other land is more beautiful than you.I had to leave you, in order to better understand your value
I had to leave you, for me to appreciate you
So I could truly feel all that you were for me
There is sunshine, nice rivers and great drinks
Underneath the trees, you'll always find great shade
Where you'll find a gentle breeze to keep you cool
Haiti, is a country dear to me
In the white man's land, you're freezing and it's never good
And all day, you're forced to burn coal
You can't see clearly because the sky is always dark
And for 6 months, all trees are without leaves
In my country, there is sunshine to provide heat
All year long, the trees continue to provide shade
A soft breeze always blowing on our beaches
Haiti, is a country dear to me
483 Students. 483 Stories Still Being Written.
The 2026–2027 school year at St. Marc is well underway, and the school is welcoming an extraordinary 483 students.
From the youngest preschoolers to students preparing for life beyond secondary school, each child represents a family placing its hopes in education.
This year's enrollment:
72 preschool students beginning their earliest years of learning.
177 primary students developing the foundations of their education.
234 middle and high school students continuing their studies and preparing for the future.
Every morning, students gather in the schoolyard for opening exercises. Together, they participate in the national anthem and pledge before filing into their classrooms.
The school year began with Mass at St. Marc Church, bringing students and teachers together in worship and grounding the academic year in faith.
Inside the classrooms, the sounds of learning carry through the open air. Preschoolers practice lessons aloud. Teachers guide students through new material. Older students continue the demanding work of their education.
These may seem like ordinary school days.
But the opportunity to return to a classroom, learn alongside friends, and be guided by caring teachers is something worth celebrating.
Education offers more than lessons. It offers continuity, opportunity, and the possibility of a different future.
A Celebration of Everything That Makes Haiti Home
Christ Lydie Shama Sterlin, celebrating Haitian heritage during St. Marc School's Haitian Culture Day.
Among the students celebrating Haitian Culture Day was Christ Lydie Shama Sterlin, one of St. Marc's 72 preschoolers.
Dressed in traditional Haitian clothing, Christ Lydie joined a schoolwide celebration of the music, food, dance, and customs that make Haiti home.
Education is woven into her family's life. Her mother, Wideline Saint Marc, teaches second-year middle school students at St. Marc. Her father is also a teacher in Jeannette, although he lives in Port-au-Prince.
For Christ Lydie, St. Marc is more than a place where she attends preschool. It is also the school where her mother helps guide the next generation of students.
Her family's connection to education reflects the dedication of teachers and parents throughout Jeannette who continue to invest in their children's futures.
And while Christ Lydie is just beginning her education, older students at St. Marc are preparing for the opportunities and responsibilities that lie ahead.
From a child's first classroom to the final years of secondary school, St. Marc is helping young people grow within the community they call home.
Our Partnership Reaches Beyond the Classroom
The Diocese of Wisconsin's Haiti Partnership supports more than education alone.
Our relationships in Jeannette also extend to St. Marc Clinic and the community's cassava program, recognizing that education, health, and local livelihoods are connected.
A child's opportunities are shaped by more than what happens during school hours. Families need access to care. Communities need ways to sustain themselves. Schools need the people and resources that make learning possible.
Through these efforts, our partnership stands alongside the people of Jeannette as they invest in their community.
And this is what makes the relationship so meaningful: it is not simply about sending financial assistance from Wisconsin to Haiti.
It is about recognizing the gifts, dedication, and aspirations already present in Jeannette, and joining in the work of helping them flourish.
This Winter, Help Keep the Story Going
As winter settles over Wisconsin, the schoolyard at St. Marc remains busy with students, teachers, lessons, and laughter.
There are 483 children attending school this year. Hundreds of families looking toward the future. Teachers returning to their classrooms each day. A community continuing to nurture the next generation.
Our Haiti Partnership is one way we can be part of that story.
Your gift helps sustain the partnership's ongoing work in education, health, and community support.
Whether you give $25, $50, $100, or another amount meaningful to you, your generosity joins that of Episcopalians across Wisconsin who believe in the people of Jeannette and the future they are building.
Thank you, your gift supports the ongoing work of the Diocese of Wisconsin's Haiti Partnership.
Haiti, Our Beloved
The song Haïti Chérie speaks of a homeland whose beauty and meaning endure even across great distances.
Here in Wisconsin, we may be separated from our partners in Jeannette by many miles. But through shared faith, friendship, and years of partnership, their story has become part of ours.
This winter, we invite you to listen to their music, celebrate their students, and help sustain the work that makes another school year possible.
483 students. One community. And so much still to come.
Thank you for walking alongside our partners in Haiti.
