With the vision of becoming financially independent and providing more children with access to high quality education, New Horizon is experimenting with an agricultural project growing vetiver and have 25 hectares. They plan to sell the crops to European perfumery companies and use the revenue for the school. Parents who are unable to afford the school fees have the option to work in the fields 2-4 hours per day, depending on the number of children they have at the school.

New Horizon’s vision is to create an educational complex that serves the needs of their community and prepares youth to participate in the future development of Haiti. From 2010-2015, the school built a primary school, high school classrooms and a vocational school.  From 2016-2020, it added vocational training for new trades each year, covering the hospitality industry, construction, computing, A/C and refrigeration, and agriculture -- all much needed skills in Haiti. 

While many teachers in Haiti have only a few years of education beyond the grade they teach, all teachers at New Horizon are certified -- including the kindergarten staff. Many have completed a 3-year program at Ayiti Education, considered among the best teacher preparation programs in the country. Teachers at the secondary level have four years of university.  Teaching training, however, continues to be an important part of school agenda and several training sessions are conducted each year to ensure a high quality of teaching and learning.

The students at New Horizon were asked to write an essay on a topic they cared about. Two responses are shared below.  

“All around the world, many adults are not conscious of the importance of being a positive role model for young people. The youth are the future of our world. They are looking to adults for examples of good behavior, and they will repeat the behaviors they see. To work for a better future, adults should be loving to children, give them a good education, provide assistance when they need it, and be positive role models.” – Jacques

“Nowadays, corruption seems something normal, not just in other parts of the world but also in Haiti. Around the world today, we see the number of corrupt leaders at all levels increasing and corruption growing. To figure out a solution is very difficult. Forward-thinking countries do not tolerate corruption, so we, too, must reject this, for the sake of progress in our dear country of Haiti.” – Jean-Baptiste