This classroom is dedicated to Robin Porter Carlo, whose devotion to Universal Promise is comprehensive in its scope. Robin grew up in Northboro, Massachusetts, in a home where education was valued, and in which family had more to do with love than biology. She was fortunate to live two doors down from the public library and to have teachers who nurtured and encouraged her love of books and learning. It was in this environment that her dream of becoming a teacher was born.

That dream became a reality in August of 1980, after graduating from Fitchburg State College with a degree in Special Education. She began teaching at the Nazareth Home for Boys, working with boys with learning and behavioral challenges. Two special people came into her life there: Ken Carlo, a colleague who became her husband, and Jay Carlo, then a seven-year-old resident who became her first child. Over the next three years, her family grew with the birth of Jay’s brother Lee and sister Regina.

In 1987, Robin began working with Barbara Wilson, teaching students with language-based learning disabilities and providing professional development for teachers. For the next 25 years, Robin lived her dream, teaching in classroom and tutorial settings and developing curricula for students and teachers. The tools and training she received while working with Barbara Wilson were invaluable and enabled her to make a difference in her students’ lives. 

In 2015, Robin re-connected on Facebook with a high school classmate, Martha T. Cummings, the Founder of Universal Promise. Martha’s work in South Africa caught her eye. Robin began to follow the work of the non-profit and was impressed by the organisation’s emphasis on both education and the dignity of the people being served. Robin went on her first of many volunteer trips in 2016 and fell in love with the children, teachers, and culture. 

The South African children stole Robin’s heart, but the dedication, perseverance, and courage of their teachers were what struck her most. Working with almost no supplies and in crowded classrooms, with learners whose basic needs were often not met, these professionals showed up every day (which often included a four-hour round-trip commute on unreliable public transportation) and worked miracles. Robin regards the opportunity to work alongside these educators as one of the greatest privileges of her life.

Honoured by Universal Promise