Norman Marshall, The Gleaner's circulation manager (second left), presents Evelyn Gyles, principal of Shortwood Practising and Junior High School, with a copy of the company's Children's Own newspaper, on Thursday. Looking on are Ralston Getfield (left), assistant circulation manager, and Michael Fraser, deputy chief executive officer at Life of Jamaica (LOJ). The occasion was the official renewal of LoJ's sponsorship of the Children's Own to schools across the island. The event took place at the LoJ Auditorium in New Kingston. -Ian Allen photo
Petrina Francis, Education Reporter
IN HELPING to promote reading in schools, Life of Jamaica (LOJ) has increased its sponsorship of The Gleaner Company's Children's Own newspaper to 50 more schools across the island. This has amplified the company's sponsorship to 101 schools.
"I am very, very proud that LoJ through this association is finding a mechanism of helping in a small but important way to bring a little more light to the darkness that exists in the school learning process," said Michael Fraser, deputy chief executive officer and chief marketing
officer at LoJ.
He was speaking at the official launch of LoJ's sponsorship of Children's Own at the LoJ Auditorium in New Kingston on Thursday.
IT HAS HELPED
In giving her perspective of the Children's' Own newspaper, Audeth Creary, a teacher at Southborough Primary School, said: "This (the newspaper) has been really good to us throughout the years and has helped tremendously with the teaching and learning activities, especially reading."
Mrs. Creary explained that her school has a "drop everything and read" programme, after lunch when the teachers read The Gleaner while the children read their newspaper.
She noted that the Children's Own is particularly helpful for children who will be sitting the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT).
Letetia Caballero, principal of Horizon Park Primary School, told The Gleaner that she is excited by LoJ's decision to sponsor her school. She explained that many of the children who are doing GSAT are from communities where they cannot afford the newspaper and noted that the Children's Own has valuable lessons for GSAT children.
"It's a good gesture," said Al Solan, principal of Swal-
lowfield Primary and Junior High. Mr. Solan said that one of the major problems at school is reading and therefore any move to enhance reading is a good one and "we are grateful for it".
The Children's Own newspaper is a weekly publication of The Gleaner Company. It was first published in 1950. Each school under the LoJ sponsorship programme will receive 50 copies each week.
