Literacy for Dominican-Haitian Youth in the Batey

Yspaniola was founded on our belief in the transformative power of education: to ignite a child’s curiosity, encourage civic participation, and create concrete avenues for economic opportunity. Now heading into our ninth year of operations, Yspaniola is beginning to see the fruits of such educational investments and their reciprocal impacts within the community.

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In early 2017, Yspaniola made a significant change in the Batey Libertad Learning Center’s structure, transitioning our prior volunteer-run model to a local leadership model. For the past six months, the Learning Center has been staffed entirely by teachers and assistants from within the community—individuals who have grown up in the Dominican education system, who share the culture and languages of the local residents, and who are best equipped to meet the needs of Spanish-Creole bilingual students, as well as students learning Spanish for the first time. This movement towards local ownership and leadership of the center is already proving fruitful, and has opened up new avenues for employment and the opportunity for young adults in the community to explore the merits of a teaching career.

With this structural change, an exciting pattern is starting to emerge in Batey Libertad.  

Daniel is one example. A beloved member of the community, Daniel is probably best known for his perpetually beaming smile. He has a gentle and tender nature, but can also be counted on for a good laugh. At only 17 years old, Daniel has quickly emerged as a budding leader in Batey Libertad and is creating a strong career pathway for himself.

Daniel spent the past four and a half years working as a teaching assistant. He provided behavioral support and interventions, contributed to lesson planning discussions, and oversaw playtime outside. With his calming demeanor and playful spirit, the classroom proved to be the perfect place for Daniel.

At the end of this past school semester, Daniel was promoted to Junior Teacher and will be working with the students in Classes 2, 3, and 4 for the remainder of the school year. Daniel has risen to the occasion and we are excited to see the new energy he brings to the class, as well as witness his ongoing growth as an educator. Congrats Daniel!

Daniel’s trajectory reflects the Learning Center’s growth as well. It continues to evolve into a thriving, sustainable fixture in the community, one that unites people around the power of education and provides a pipeline of meaningful opportunities for youth and adults alike. These are the ripples of education Yspaniola strives to create through our programming and strategic decision making. Daniel is just the beginning. Who might be next in this powerful cycle of students becoming teachers?