Learning through Breezes

Canadian teachers (from left): Darlene Landry, Nadia Suraci, Adita Sherwood (local representative of the Ministry of Education Region III), Edna Dargie and Lisa Iantari.

For the children of many working class Jamaicans, the key to realising their dreams rest in a good education. Sometimes economic hardships can stand in the way of this and some of the children through no fault of theirs find themselves at the threshold of grade five still unable to read and write.

In light of this, Breezes Runaway Bay jumped on board when the Ministry of Education Region III approached the hotel to assist in a summer programme to help nine and 10-year-olds attain grade five literacy levels.

Breezes went even further to source four teachers from Canada, who have been working with the project since 2004.

This year's summer camp in which 85 students participated was a major success, says the hotel's general manager, Cheddy Parchment. Students who participated in the project were taken from three parishes of St. Ann, Trelawny and St. Mary.

last chance for improvement

Reviewing the project, leader of the Canadian teacher group, Edna Dargie, says the children who participated were from poor economic backgrounds and the summer camp was the last chance for the students to improve their literacy skills.

The students at the end of the camp were able to write the grade four-literacy test, which determines whether or not they will be promoted to grade five.

According to Mrs. Dargie, at the start of the camp some of the children could not even identify the letters of the alphabet or vowels. She said the one-on-one attention and work they received during the three-week course made a tremendous difference to their lives. "At the end of the course most of the students were successful in attaining grade five literacy levels," she said.

Head of the Ministry of Education Region III, Ezekiel Crawford, who congratulated the students, used the same forum to urge parents to keep an active interest in the progress of their children and constantly encourage them to achieve.

Public relations manager of Breezes Runaway Bay Patricia Clarke also encouraged the students to hold on to their dreams and believe in themselves. Reminiscing on her early days, she told them of her challenges in learning to read and write, not achieving grade five literacy until she was 11 plus.

She said she was able to beat the odds and went on to complete university education after which she became a popular presenter on Grove Broadcasting's Irie FM radio station. "If I could do it, you can too," she assured the youngsters.