Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Harlie R. Duarte
Essay by Dina Lola Kaplan ’22, portrait by Caroline Sosler ’22
Mr. Duarte escaped a Communist dictatorship in Nicaragua and has been an RE employee for 25 years.
Harlie Duarte has been at the heart of Ransom Everglades’ facilities staff for 25 years – more than a lifetime of an RE senior! During the years that he has dedicated to the school, Mr. Duarte has seen the school transform physically and internally. I had the pleasure to sit down with Mr. Duarte to hear about his journey from Nicaragua, his perspective on how RE has changed over the years, and his experience in our community.
Talking with Mr. Duarte felt like a lesson in history. He immigrated to the United States in 1991 after serving for the Nicaraguan military under Anastasio Somoza Debayle, president and dictator of Nicaragua from 1967-72 and Head of the National Guard from 1974-79. Although Mr. Duarte escaped the communist government in 1991 at age 37, it wasn’t until six years later that he joined the Ransom Everglades staff. And he has been with us ever since.
When Mr. Duarte came to RE in November 1997, the campus looked different from the way it looks today. Not only was there no auditorium or even an art room, the beloved pool that currently stretches across our campus had not been built, not to mention the Fernandez STEM center. Throughout his 25 years at Ransom Everglades, Mr. Duarte has held various positions. In his first few months at RE, Mr. Duarte worked as part of the security staff, yet soon transferred to an open position in the library. After that, he transitioned to working with facilities at both the middle and upper schools from 2:30-11 p.m. every day. This schedule persisted over the years. However, as a result of the pandemic, the schedule and nature of Mr. Duarte’s job changed. Maintenance hours were altered to 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and RE hired a private company to clean the inside of buildings, shifting his responsibilities outdoors. Mr. Duarte’s commitment to RE has shined on our campus over the years.
Mr. Duarte retired at age 66 last year but continues to work at RE out of devotion. Mr. Duarte explained to me that because RE renews maintenance contracts yearly, he is extremely proud that he has been asked to come back annually for 25 years. We would like to thank Mr. Duarte for his dedication to Ransom Everglades School, the time that he has devoted to improving our campus, and the consistent contributions he makes for the RE community.
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Talking with Mr. Duarte felt like a lesson in history. He immigrated to the United States in 1991 after serving for the Nicaraguan military under Anastasio Somoza Debayle, president and dictator of Nicaragua from 1967-72 and Head of the National Guard from 1974-79. Although Mr. Duarte escaped the communist government in 1991 at age 37, it wasn’t until six years later that he joined the Ransom Everglades staff. And he has been with us ever since.
When Mr. Duarte came to RE in November 1997, the campus looked different from the way it looks today. Not only was there no auditorium or even an art room, the beloved pool that currently stretches across our campus had not been built, not to mention the Fernandez STEM center. Throughout his 25 years at Ransom Everglades, Mr. Duarte has held various positions. In his first few months at RE, Mr. Duarte worked as part of the security staff, yet soon transferred to an open position in the library. After that, he transitioned to working with facilities at both the middle and upper schools from 2:30-11 p.m. every day. This schedule persisted over the years. However, as a result of the pandemic, the schedule and nature of Mr. Duarte’s job changed. Maintenance hours were altered to 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and RE hired a private company to clean the inside of buildings, shifting his responsibilities outdoors. Mr. Duarte’s commitment to RE has shined on our campus over the years.
Mr. Duarte retired at age 66 last year but continues to work at RE out of devotion. Mr. Duarte explained to me that because RE renews maintenance contracts yearly, he is extremely proud that he has been asked to come back annually for 25 years. We would like to thank Mr. Duarte for his dedication to Ransom Everglades School, the time that he has devoted to improving our campus, and the consistent contributions he makes for the RE community.
Middle School
2045 South Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove, FL 33133Phone: 305 250 6850
Upper School
3575 Main Highway, Coconut Grove, FL 33133Phone: 305 460 8800
Founded in 1903, Ransom Everglades School is a coeducational, college preparatory day school for grades 6 - 12 located on two campuses in Coconut Grove, Florida. Ransom Everglades School produces graduates who "believe that they are in the world not so much for what they can get out of it as for what they can put into it." The school provides rigorous college preparation that promotes the student's sense of identity, community, personal integrity and values for a productive and satisfying life, and prepares the student to lead and to contribute to society.