All children deserve an education, but in Haiti, only 20%will ever attend high school and fewer still will graduate. It's been 5 years since GOALS started giving teens the boost they need to graduate high school. And our investment has paid off. In 2014, Cassandra was the first person in her entire village to finish school, and last year, thanks to your support, Olsen was able to attend university. These are huge accomplishments, and we at GOALS couldn't be prouder of these young people and their hard work.

But students like Olsen and Cassandra can't do it alone. Children whose parents struggle to provide as farmers and fishermen can't afford the books, uniforms and tuition costs to send their children to school. GOALS invests in these bright and dedicated students to give them the opportunity to grow up and become the leaders Haiti needs.

Please consider making a donation to support one of these students to invest in their education as the future leaders of Haiti.

Each one of the extraordinary students below needs help paying their school fees for the 2015 - 2016 school year:

Books: $50
Uniform: $35
Tuition: $235 - $389 (depending on grade level)

You can sponsor any of the students below or make a general donation to the GOALS Dream Team School Scholarship program. Scroll down to learn more about education in Haiti and how the GOALS provides new opportunities for children who would otherwise be unable to finish school.

A video detailing the reason for the GOALS 2012 Winter Ed Campaign and the plan of action. For further information about the campaign and to donate check out http://www.crowdrise.com/goalsedfund2013 To learn more about GOALS Haiti visit www.GoalsHaiti.org To meet our Dream Team Members Check out www.nationaldreamteam.wordpress.com For a more in-depth look at some of the challenges our kids face check out our next video at http://vimeo.com/54660218 Our final link is a message from the founder and director of GOALS detailing exactly what the Winter Ed campaign will allow us to provde the communities we serve http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96_kjMBoeEI *The music in the video is Timoun Yo Graciously provided by a great Haitian Musician Belo, if you enjoyed the music it and more can be found at http://www.amazon.com/Référence-Explicit/dp/B001EBW24G/ref=ntt_mus_dp_dpt_1

About education in Haiti
In Haiti, school can be prohibitively expensive at any age. The country’s literacy rate is 53% and secondary school enrollment is just 19%. Many rural areas lack schools, and poor communities can't afford both the tuition and the transportation costs to commute. In the village of Destra, where GOALS works, there are no primary schools and no secondary schools. The nearest paved road is nearly two miles away.

While primary school fees are more affordable, around $60 a year, secondary school fees are costly - around $350, and transport costs, books, school uniforms and exam fees add to the burden. Children from larger families may take turns going to school, with one child attending one year and another child the next.

About the GOALS Dream Team Scholarship Program
The Dream Team provides scholarships to students with strong grades, demonstrated leadership skills, and a commitment to local development.

GOALS is committed to seeing each student graduate from high school to create a better future for themselves and their communities, but students must maintain high grades to keep their scholarship each year.

All students give back by volunteering at GOALS and at service projects which they plan and implement, demonstrating that hands-on involvement is as important as academic success. Past projects include health lessons and soccer activities for younger children, collecting plastic for recycling and beach clean-up days and painting public spaces.

About the costs
GOALS works with three schools in Leogane, Haiti which have the highest test scores in the region, according to published reports from the Haitian Ministry of Education. Costs vary slightly both by school and by grade level. Each student profiled above has slightly different needs, and their sponsorship costs reflect these actual individual needs.

Thanks to commitments from GOALS' Board of Directors to fully cover all administrative costs, 100% of your donation goes directly to supporting your sponsored student.

More facts about the GOALS Dream Team Scholarship Program:

Nearly a third have lost at least one parent.
Only 8 have parents who ever attended school.
100% of participants will be the first in their family to graduate from high school.
None of the students live in permanent housing: All scholarship students live in post-earthquake tarp, tin, or wooden structures; none have electricity in their villages or running water in their homes.

Challenges:

Muddy roads prohibit school attendance after a strong rain.
While we’ve selected the best possible schools for our students to attend, the quality of education in Haiti remains low.

Successes:

96% of students passed their final exams last year, allowing them to progress to the next grade level.
Extra funding last year allowed us to purchase durable solar lanterns so students could study after dark, even without electricity.
In 2014, GOALS saw our first two students graduate high school! Olsen and Cassandra both became the first in their families to graduate high school - Cassandra was the first in her entire village - a huge accomplishment!

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