Gregolie
Our 28 Dream Team scholarship kids are back to school! They go to school each morning, attend GOALS’ activities in the afternoon, and are busy planning their first community service group project. It's a lot of responsibility!
Please meet Gregolie Pierre and Jean Paul Vandam, both 18 years old. Gregolie has been on the GOALS Dream Team for three years, and Jean Paul earned a scholarship for the first time this year. It’s very difficult for GOALS staff to choose which among the dozens of applicants will receive a scholarship, but after reading this interview with Gregolie and Jean Paul, you’ll see why these two stand out.
What kind of activities do you do with GOALS? How long have you been participating?
Gregolie: I do a lot with GOALS. We talk about health, we organize and do special activities, we garden, and obviously we play soccer. I have been participating since 2010, so more than 3 years now.
Jean Paul: GOALS offers me a lot to do. I play soccer, participate in community service activities and benefit from English classes. (Note: In fact, one of the reasons Jean Paul earned a scholarship was that he always made a point to sit in the very front row in all of GOALS’ English classes last year!)
What do you like the best about GOALS’ activities?
Gregolie: I like GOALS’ programs because it is not only about sport but also socio-cultural activities. You have the chance to know more about English thanks to our weekly English course, or photography, it is also about education since you can get a scholarship according to your attendance rates and motivation. And also, we meet players and soccer teams from other areas, and we get to meet new faces!
Jean Paul: What I like the most is playing soccer! I am a big fan of that sport and have played it for a long time; since I was a small kid.
How do you imagine your life in a couple years? What kind of job would you like doing?
Gregolie: When I think about my future, I would like to be a lawyer or a journalist after I finish school. And also I would love to be a coach myself – a coach for girls!
Jean Paul: Hopefully everything will be fine, I wish I still could play soccer and also be an agriculture specialist.
What do you like the least about GOALS activities?
Gregolie: I don’t like being hurt sometimes during practice. And also I don’t like losing a match, I want to be a champion and win all the time!
How has participating in sports improved your life?
Gregolie: I love sports! It develops my muscles and makes me be healthier.
Jean Paul: Sport always is a benefit for everyone who takes the time for it. It allows me to grow better, to keep my body healthier and get less sick.
Congratulations to Gregolie and Jean Paul for earning a scholarship this year with GOALS! Good luck at school and on the field!
If you’d like to help make sure that Gregolie, Jean Paul and other promising young students are able to complete their education, consider making a donation.
- $350 supports a student with tuition, books and uniforms for a year
- $100 provides educational materials for an entire soccer team
- $65 buys a bicycle so students living in rural areas can get to school
- $25 feeds an entire soccer team for a week
Click here to make a donation. Thank you!
Learn more about why GOALS supports education and meet more of our outstanding student athletes in this video from Jovan.
Be sure to like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for more updates and photos from our sport-for-development programs on the soccer fields of Leogane, Haiti.