13-year-old donor, Food for the Poor deliver new classrooms to St Ann school

Students and staff at the Runaway Bay All-Age School in St Ann started the new school year on Monday in more spacious surroundings.

Food For the Poor, through a partnership with 13-year-old donor Rafe Cochran, constructed two new blocks at the school, comprising six classrooms, bathrooms, and an office.

The youngster, who hails from South Florida, contributed the proceeds from his annual Rafe Cochran Golf Classic for the school expansion project.

School Principal Lambert Pearson, in expressing gratitude, said the new buildings have provided improved accommodation for the institution’s 400 students.

“This, most certainly, will improve our conditions for learning, and I’m sure that our performance will continue to grow,” Pearson said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 31.

For her part, Director of Recipient Services at Food For the Poor Jamaica Susan Moore noted that the modern facilities provided will not only improve the school’s physical environment but also enhance learning.

“At Food For the Poor, we are certainly aware of the interaction between the physical spaces and the learning environment,” she outlined.

Moore thanked Rafe for partnering with Food For the Poor Jamaica on this “well-needed project”.

Rafe has been supporting the work of Food For the Poor in Jamaica through his annual golf classic, which he organised with the help of his parents, Jay and Diahann Cochran.

He told JIS News that his philanthropic efforts stemmed from a visit his grade-three class made to the Food For the Poor headquarters in Florida a few years ago.

Since then, he has been working with the charity to erect schools and homes.

He said he selected Runaway Bay All-Age this year “because I truly felt the need to help. I felt if these students and teachers had a better building to provide the opportunity of education, it would motivate and help the students achieve their goals”.

We want to hear from you! Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169, email us at editors@gleanerjm.com or onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com.