Rita Lahoud

With a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a master’s degree in Special Education, Rita Lahoud coordinates and teaches a unique interdisciplinary Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) studies program for young children that integrates Arabic language learning with the art and culture of the Arab world. She inspires her students through lessons infused with song, dance, and visual art.

Rooted in over a decade of classroom experience in a Brooklyn public school, Rita has developed a pedagogical model demonstrating how exploring the diverse cultures and artistic traditions of the Arab world can foster empathy and cross-cultural understanding.

In addition to her work at Public School 261, Miss Lahoud is the Co-Founder and Education Director of GoProjectHope, where she designs and implements educational programs for refugees aimed at improving lives and uplifting communities. Through this humanitarian work, she created a social justice curriculum that connects her students with children in refugee camps abroad through collaborative, empathy-driven projects that promote global awareness. She also oversees food kitchens that provide nutritious meals to displaced families in Gaza.

Rita is a lifelong learner who actively pursues opportunities to expand her practice. She has participated in numerous educational conferences, presented her work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and is featured in the Annenberg Teaching Arabic Video Collection. In 2023, she received the Qatar Foundation International’s Arabic Teacher Excellence Award. Rita brings an abundance of ideas, along with the passion and energy to see them through.