By Nikiki Bogle | President & CEO
In Child's Month, the Caribbean Education Foundation launches ADOPT-A-STUDENT and CEF Education Ambassadors Program to increase its scholarship recipient pool, in order help more brilliant children in Jamaica to attend High Schools for the upcoming 2012-2013 school year and beyond.
During May, as a part of CEF “Child’s Month” initiative, Caribbean Education Foundation’s representatives traveled to Jamaica and conducted a tour of 10 Primary Schools in Kingston, St. Andrew, St. Catherine and St. Thomas. We met with school leaders including Principals, Teachers and Counselors; visited classrooms, inspected dismal, mostly nonexistent libraries and observed virtually nonexistent computer areas. We saw thousands of children who are in financial need. Our team met with a number of these students who are in Grade 6 and recently took the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT), the exam they must pass to attend High Schools in Grade 7. We heard first-hand how these children will have an even more dire existence when they graduate from the Primary Schools in June and enter High Schools in September 2012! In High School, they will now have to pay school fees, costly text books, transportation and lunch in addition to the usual uniforms and school supplies - - additional costs which do not exist at the primary school level.
As you may know, Public High Schools are NOT FREE in Jamaica. The cost to attend high school in Jamaica is $1,500 U.S. dollars. The minimum wage is approximately $50.00 U.S. dollars per week or $200.00 U.S. dollars per month. The students who receive CEF scholarships have working parent(s) who are unable to afford the costs of high school due to the low wages they earn. CEF’s goal is to give youth meaningful choices and opportunities in this world and thereby help to break the poverty cycle.
Due to your generous assistance, we were able to send 12 children to high school last year, including Ashauni Bernard.
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STUDENT UPDATE: ASHAUNI BERNARD MADE HONOR ROLL at Wolmer’s Boys High School! He is 12 years old and currently in Grade 7. Please help us say CONGRATULATIONS to Ashauni on a job well done!
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CEF is very proud that our students are excelling in High School! We would like to provide more children with the opportunity to attend school and excel. In light of the reality witnessed on our Jamaica Primary School Tour, CEF realizes that we simply cannot wait to expand our efforts to provide more children with scholarships this year.
As a result, the Caribbean Education Foundation is launching an ADOPT-A-STUDENT and Education Ambassadors Program! The program goals are to immediately expand our scholarship recipient pool, in order to help more children attend High School in September 2012-2013 school year and beyond. We know that with your help, CEF will make this a reality for these additional needy children!
CEF Education Ambassadorship is open to everyone including: individuals, businesses, organizations and groups. In order to be a CEF Education Ambassador, the person or entity must ADOPT-A-STUDENT for the school year by agreeing to donate or raise funds to fully fund the student in the Paul Bogle Scholarship Program. The cost to fund one student to attend public high school for one year in Jamaica is $1,500 U.S. dollars. An Education Ambassador may donate funds that exceed the $1,500 U.S. dollars, but is committed to supporting at least one student. Ambassadors must raise student adoption funds by July 31st of each year.
Each Education Ambassador receives direct information about her or his adopted student along with a photograph. Throughout the school year, each CEF Ambassador is updated with Grade Reports, Attendance Reports and Behavioral Reports about the school performance of his or her adopted child. Ambassadors may also communicate with adopted students if they choose to do so, through the organization.
One hundred percent of adoption aid funds the CEF Paul Bogle Scholarships to enable students in financial need to attend high schools in Jamaica. The scholarships pay school fees, text books, school supplies, uniforms, transportation and lunch. None of the student adoption funds goes towards administrative expenses, unless an entity so specifies. Furthermore, Ambassadors may serve beyond adopting a student. They also serve as "CEF diplomats" if you will, for the Caribbean Education Foundation. The names of Ambassadors will be listed on the organization's website, brochures, newsletters, program books and acknowledgements at events, unless he or she chooses to remain anonymous.
In discussing the initiative, Caribbean Education Foundation's President & CEO, Nikiki T. Bogle, Esq. stated, "CEF is very excited about our ADOPT-A-STUDENT launch! We believe that individual adoptions gives ownership to our Education Ambassadors; and also ensures direct accounting of donated funds that are benefiting their particular student's education. We hope this knowledge makes persons and organizations more willing to lend a helping hand, which is so desperately needed for poor children's educational access.”
CEF is seeking several Education Ambassadors who are able to help a child gain access to quality education. Please contact us regarding the opportunity to directly impact a child's life and make a difference! Please suggest a CEF student adoption to your network, companies, firms, organizations, family and friends. You never know who will step up! It might surprise you! Individuals and entities that wish to become a CEF Education Ambassador should contact the Caribbean Education Foundation directly at Email: nbogle@educatechild.org or Phone: 800-677-0839 ext. 105.
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