I’ve got an exciting announcement buried at the end of this article. So please bear with me for a few paragraphs.
Teachers are in the news these days as the nation moves toward reopening classrooms. It got me thinking about the selflessness of people who dedicate themselves to education. Teaching, and serving the educational system in general, is a way to be generous to our future.
Years ago a PathLight colleague asked me if I thought systemic change was best done from the top down or the bottom up. The question was in the context of a decision about how best to allocate resources. By changing the core elements of education (e.g. curriculum) or by training classroom teachers?
I can’t remember how I answered him, but I’ve long felt this isn’t an either/or issue. Granted, sometimes you only have the resources and opportunity to pursue one course of action. The door to train teachers was wide open for PathLight at the time, so we pursued that avenue. But too often we frame these kinds of decisions as either/or when a better way to understand them is as two important paths running parallel.
This is why I’m excited to share news about Adele Catzim-Sanchez.
PathLight has aimed to hire a Belizean Executive Director who could pursue both high level systemic change and grassroots change in the classroom. It would take a special person who had a wide range of talents, experiences, and relationships.
Adele is such a person, and she has accepted PathLight’s offer to join the team. For 25+ years she has been a social development consultant and senior-level official spanning the NGO and public sectors. Over these years, Adele has contributed to shaping national policies on youth and gender issues, poverty reduction, and sustainable development. Her skills allow for a deep understanding of both the macro and micro issues that impact children and youth development in Belize.
Adele has worked in the Ministry of Education for the Government of Belize, and she has spent hours with children recovering from traumatic experiences. Her ability to navigate both — the top down and bottom up — is what makes her a unique talent.
But put aside all the formality for a moment. Adele is a blast to hang out with. We’ve had dozens of interactions over the last few months, and I love her sense of humor, passion for her family, and joy in her work. She has a deep faith that comes through because you sense her character and strength.
I’m honestly humbled she has decided to accept this position.
But there is one catch. Please pray for her. You know why?
Because her new boss is ……. me.
I know, I know, I know. As I said, she needs prayer. đÂ
Thank you!