GraceKennedy makes Perfect Pitch for Education

The GraceKennedy-owned First Global Bank and First Global Financial Services have launched phase two of the Music, Perfect Pitch for A Sound Education, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. This phase is to be unveiled in nine primary schools in Kingston, St James and Manchester.

The project was initially launched in October 2011 in six primary schools across the island and targeted grade-three students to improve their literacy and numeracy development through the use of music, as part of their curriculum. Hundreds of students benefited from the programme, which ended in October 2012.

The 2013-2014 leg is estimated to cost First Global Bank and First Global Financial Services in excess of $3 million.

Principals of the newly added schools, who sought to have their schools involved in the programme, gave it high marks.

"We are very excited to be accepted on the programme. I have done my research and I know the relevance and the importance of music to literacy. We are raring to go," said Thelma Porter of Tarrant Primary.

Howard Salmon, head of Mandeville Primary and Junior High, stated: "This programme will greatly improve the students' academic performance, once they are exposed to it."

The schools benefiting under the programme are Duhaney Park Primary, Seaward Primary and Junior High, Tarrant Primary and All-Age, and Pembroke Hall Primary in Kingston; Bickersteth Primary, and the John Rollins Success Primary in St James; McIntosh Memorial Primary, Villa Road Primary, and the Mandeville Primary and Junior High in Manchester.

 Full Caption: Teachers and students from the Seaward Primary and Junior High School in Kingston are all smiles as they share company with Courtney Campbell (left), CEO of GraceKennedy Financial Group, during the launch of phase two of the 'Music, Perfect Pitch for A Sound Education' programme, held recently at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel in St Andrew. From second left (back row) are Maureen Davis-Atkinson, Arlene Thomas, principal, and Povell Powell. Students are (from left) Ashanti Nelson, Brandon Williams and Tassian Spencer. - Contributed