Jamaica Reading Lab Opening!

Spring  Greetings! 

We have made it through a snowstorm and Mardi Gras and now spring has arrived. Festival season is on the way!

As many of you know, Todd and I spend a great deal of time visiting a community in Jamaica called Treasure Beach, a small fishing village on the south coast of Jamaica. Whenever we arrive at our home away from home, Jake’s, a beautiful small hotel, is what I imagine coming home to a big family is like. We are welcomed with hugs and laughter. Jake’s has been described as a “hip bohemian hangout” and it’s got the right “vibes” for the two of us. 

We had no idea we would end up spending so much time returning to Jamaica so often, but we have become connected to people in this community. Jamaicans are some of the kindest, most positive, lighthearted people we have ever met, and “One Love” is something you’ll hear at the end of every conversation many times in one day. I imagine you have heard Bob Marley sing, “One Love..” but what does it exactly mean? This saying is derived from Marcus Garvey, the early 19th-century Jamaican-born black civil rights activist. Sometimes he concluded speeches with the phrase “one love.” It is an expression of unity and inclusion. It is an understatement to say that is how Jamaicans make us feel - loved and included -  and I am so grateful they have come into our lives. We have learned so much from them about kindness, sharing, humility and faith.

I have shared in previous blogs that we came to know a nearby school community, Newell High School ( grade 7-12), closeby to Jake’s. Our friend Jason Henzell, the owner of Jake’s and the founder of The Breds Foundation, invited us to see some local schools and meet staff and students. Over the past couple of years, we have brought to Newell High - books, pens & pencils, slide projectors, created a Google drive with intervention materials, and introduced a respected explicit phonics program, UFLI Foundations,  for the purpose of supporting reading and writing intervention. 

The literacy levels are very low at Newell for many incoming 7th graders. From my observations, the students all seem like bright kids, so why can’t so many spell simple words like “fan, pet, dig, rob, hope?” I personally think it has a lot to do with language. Patois is an English-based creole language spoken by the majority of Jamaicans as a native language. Its influences are from West African, Arawak, Spanish and other languages. I have tried to learn some sayings myself in Patois, and it is not easy to say the least as the letter sounds are different from the sounds in standard English. I humored some friends in Jamaica by sending voice messages trying to learn a few sayings, but honestly, I have really struggled learning the language. So, to expect a child to learn English in school when they talk to friends and family in Patois might be difficult, especially if they have an undiagnosed learning difference.

There was however a large setback for our friends in Jamaica this past July in the form of  the category 4 hurricane, Beryl. The community was absolutely devastated. My friend, Ms. Ashman, also lost her intervention classroom due to a space issue at the school which suffered damage during the hurricane. She and Ms. Binns, the interventionists at Newell, have been teaching outside in hallways until around February 26th, when The Newell High School Reading Lab was opened. 

We heard about a room being available for them in October although it was in terrible shape. We offered funding for this room to be remodeled and now it has electricity, air conditioning, fresh paint, and a working door. We also contributed a couch, posters to decorate the walls, and a new slide projector designated for the room. 

Ms. Ashman expressed wishes for a sign in the room to honor us (painted beautifully by a Newell parent, Dennis di Artist), so we have a “reading corner” near the couch.  In February, I got a little time with the students in the new reading lab, and they are excited about the room to say the least. The teachers are doing an amazing job providing intervention to improve the confidence and skills these children need. I am  grateful to the school principal and my personal friend, Ms. Ellington, who put so much effort into making the Newell Reading Lab a priority during such a stressful time of hurricane recovery. Thanks to Todd and our daughter Emily for helping to carry many overweight suitcases to Jamaica and especially to The Orintas Family who were so generous to donate so many books, pens and pencils. 

A newly decorated classroom and the other things we provided is not a solution to a community reading problem, but children do find more success when they know someone believes in them and we believe in Newell. It’s been clear how much this support has meant to the community. It feels great to have helped the teachers who work so hard to make a difference in their students’ lives. 

One Love 

For more information: 

Jake’s: https://jakeshotel.com

The Breds Foundation: https://bredsfoundation.org/