A GIFT OF A SCHOOL - Jamaica Observer - November 22, 2015

RAISE YOUR HANDS! Lin Crispinelli (right), mother of the late Stephanie Crispinelli, after whom the project ‘Crispinelli Mission’ is named, entertains the students of Gimme-me-Bit Infant Department moments before the dedication of two additional classrooms and bathrooms which her family funded. Sharing in the moment is a volunteer who travelled with the family.

SINCE the start of November, Food For The Poor (FFP) has completed work on four early childhood institutions in the island, replacing old buildings with brand news ones in two, and expanding two others.

March Town Early Childhood Institution in Hanover and Spicy Hill Early Childhood Institution in Trelawny were the recipients of new school buildings, while Gimme-Me-Bit Infant School and Race Course Seventh-day Adventist Early Childhood Institution, both in Clarendon, were renovated and expanded, now boasting two new classrooms and a new bathroom facility.

The construction of the March Town facility was funded by Laura and Peter McCain along with their family members and relatives from the US; and Spicy Hill was funded by Sunwing Foundation.

The renovations and expansions were made possible by the Crispinelli Mission -- a charity group from the United States formed in honour of Stephanie Crispinelli, a 19-year-old who perished in Haiti's devastating earthquake in January 2010 while on a mission trip. The mission had also financed construction of the two faciliites, some years ago.

Minister of Education Ronald Thwaites was present at the handing over of the Spicy Hill school, which cost Sunwing Foundation approximately US$85,000 to construct and is the largest early childhood investment through FFP Jamaica since the start of their Jamaica 50 campaign.
He said, "FFP said they would build 50 schools for Jamaica 50 and they have gone and built 65, so we must show our gratitude. We are happy to share with Food For The Poor. They could have invested their resources elsewhere, so God bless them. We couldn't have done it for ourselves without their generosity."

Executive director of FFP Jamaica, David Mair thanked the donors for contributing to the development of Jamaica's education sector and the environment of children, who he said are our nation's future.

-- Ainsworth Morris

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/career/A-gift-of-a-school_19239777

THE GIFT OF A SCHOOL: Minister Thwaites and his wife (centre) were happy to join volunteers of Sunwing Foundation in a group photo with Kerry-Ann Quallo Casserly, Director of Sales and Marketing for Jamaica for Sunwing Foundation, who receives a warm kiss from a student of Spicy Hill Early Childhood Institution. Proudly sharing in the moment also is Angella Williams (right), principal of the institution.

OFFICIAL OPENING OF MARCH PEN EARLY CHILDHOOD INSTITUTION: Principal of March Town Early Childhood Institution,
Sherry-Ann Murray (left) and Aleigh McCain, daughter of the Canadian donors, cutting the ribbon to signal the official opening of the new school building on November 12.

A NEW SCHOOL BUILDING FOR SPICY HILL: Sunwing Foundation of Canada in partnership with Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation and FFP Canada recently pooled their resources to fund and construct a new school building for the Spicy Hill Early Childhood Institution, which was officially opened on November 13. Sharing in the ribbon cutting exercise with students and teachers were (from right) Angella Williams, principal; Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites, Minister of Education; Samantha Mahfood, Executive Director, FFP Canada; Kerry-Ann Quallo Casserly, representing Sunwing Foundation; Sylvain Fabi, Canadian High Commissioner and Donavan White, Councillor.

LET’S OPEN THESE CLASSROOMS: Sharing in the ribbon cutting exercise at Race Course SDA Early Childhood Institution on November 6 were (from left) members of the Crispinelli family; Jennifer Bennett, Principal and David Mair, Executive Director of Food For The Poor.