Shanequa Davis is the founder of the Treehouse Group. The organization has three branches: a consulting group, a publishing house, and a non-profit.
Photos courtesy of The Treehouse Group.
“Teach our most vulnerable children to think for themselves.”
Each month we highlight a community program that aligns with the values of SoulVision Magazine. We believe engaging with one’s community is critical to fostering positive change in the world.
Shanequa Davis is the founder of the Treehouse Group, a New York-based educational consultant organization that specializes in early childhood education. “Our mission is to give rise to a generation of flexible thinkers in underserved communities of color, at home and internationally,” she says. “We expand on teachers’ use of strategies to encourage understanding and use of critical thinking skills in students.” The organization has three branches: a consulting group, a publishing house, and a non-profit.
Through its nonprofit initiative, Treehouse Education Alliance,
The Treehouse Group currently supports three schools in Les Cayes, Haiti.
What differentiates the Treehouse Group from similar organizations is Shanequa’s approach to strategies for educating children. “We provide a coaching model, a mentorship/mentee model, professional development, and preparation for CLASS assessment,” she says. “Most importantly, we have fun with it. We use the art of play with all that we do with practitioners to drive home key instructional concepts.” Its publishing house, Treehouse Books, expands this vision with children’s books that will cater to both American and international audiences. The profits will be used for charitable purposes.
The group’s nonprofit initiative, Treehouse Education Alliance, was created after Shanequa found herself traveling abroad to heal from the traumas in her own life. While abroad, she immersed herself in the culture of the locals. “I wanted to see the community schools and how they compared to community schools back in the States,” she says. A coworker encouraged her to combine her love for travel and education. “This love affair sparked my engagement in mission work and supporting school communities abroad in some of the most vulnerable regions in the Caribbean.”
Through its nonprofit initiative, The Treehouse Group currently supports three schools in Les Cayes, Haiti. They have provided educational services, resources, and teacher training since 2018. These efforts have not stopped during the pandemic and in some cases have intensified. “Due to unforeseen circumstances on the ground in Haiti, our organization is regrouping and figuring out the best ways to be of support,” she says. “Despite the recent events, schools reopened in late September. We are excited and looking forward to another impactful school year.”
Shanequa Davis with two of her students in Les Cayes, Haiti.
Shanequa looks to expand the Treehouse Group’s reach to community-based organizations in the New York City area. “My goal is to provide rigor in coaching, mentorship programs, and facilitation of professional development at home and internationally so practitioners can provide best practices to students in building out concept development, and school readiness skills,” she says. “We will continue our work, in collaboration with these communities so that we create a generation of critical thinkers who will build relationships and impact our tomorrow.”
To learn how you can support the Treehouse Group, visit their website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
