Supporting St. Etienne, Our Partner School in Haiti

St. Stephen's will celebrate and support our partner school, St. Etienne Episcopal School in Salmadere, Haiti, with a variety of events, Sept. 25 to Sept. 29, culminating in an all-school bake sale on Sept. 29. St. Stephen's helped found the Haitian school 15 years ago under the direction of our then-head of school, the Rev. Roger Bowen, at the invitation of Haitian Episcopalians.

Throughout the week, Middle School students will learn about and contribute to the Haitian program, beginning with a Middle School-wide InfoChallenge, an online information game about Haiti and St. Etienne. The  Middle School also will hold a St. Etienne Spirit donation competition, ending at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 27. Middle School and Upper School students will join forces on Friday, Sept. 29, in an epic bake sale with drinks and sno-cones on The Hill. All funds collected will help support the operating budget of St. Etienne Episcopal School. 

Several times throughout the year, St. Stephen’s offers a week-long service trip to St. Etienne Episcopal School. The experience creates a lasting impression on the students who participate in the service program — many of whom develop longstanding relationships with the Haitian students they meet on the trip. “Our work in St. Etienne reinforces the mission of our school to create global citizens,” explained biology teacher Johnny Wilson, who organizes the service program and student travel. “These experiences transcend the trip and students’ time at St. Stephen’s; service becomes a part of their lives and even their careers.”