Ryan French

It seems the odds are against Haitians. However, we refuse to accept these realities as permanent. L’Ouverture Academy stands as a selective, holistic program combining academics, soccer, and character development to prepare Haitian youth for academic and professional opportunities. It strives to be a catalyst for further opportunities and development, a beacon for Haitians abroad, and a lamppost for those at home on how potential can transform a society. 

My experience with Right to Dream led me to believe that this same model, while not 100% copy-pasted from its West Africa roots, could work in Haiti, a nation immensely talented and close to the world’s largest source of academic and athletic scholarship, the U.S.