HE KISSED his two-year-old brother goodbye through the new chain link fence and ran towards his classmates to play.
It was lunch time at the Boys' Town All-Age School in Rema, St. Andrew, and 10-year-old Chevon Johnson's baby brother had come by to say hello. Chevon lives within walking distance of the newly-refurbished school.
Before the school was re-opened in January, Chevon used to travel in four stages to get to school. Recounting his daily routine when he lived on Mark Lane in Fletcher's Land, downtown Kingston, Chevon explains that he had to catch "one bus from (down)town to Half-Way Tree and take one from Half-Way Tree to Lawrence Tavern and then to school".
The grade four student went on to explain that he recently moved to Rema and could now walk to school and get there early. He doesn't need to get awake as early as 5 o'clock anymore but he insists that he's still very early because he can run to school.
Before the new school term began in January, Chevon attended the Grateful Hill Primary School in St. Catherine. His mother Alicia McCalla explains that when she relocated to Mark Lane from Lawrence Tavern in St. Catherine she didn't transfer Chevon from Grateful Hill Primary. Now that she lives in Rema, it's easier to send him and his two siblings to Boys Town All-Age.
"It is very good that the school is here and there are so many activities for them. Chevon is in Spelling Bee, and the others are in Red Cross," Ms. McCalla adds. She pointed out too, that having the school in Rema helped her, as sometimes she did not have the bus fare to send the children to school in St. Catherine.
Chevon is one of 400 students who have benefited from the newly-refurbished school in Boys Town/Rema. Before moving into the new building in January, students were housed in cramped conditions in a hall at the nearby annex. The refurbished building, formerly the Hugh Sherlock Primary School, had been closed for more than 20 years because of violence in the community.
It was only a shell and could not be used to alleviate the overcrowding at the original Boys Town All-Age. Since it was refurbished, the school has expanded and residents say they believe their children will now learn in a better environment.
Debbie Wallace, a mother of four who lives behind the school, says she feels good about the new building. She adds that with the absence of violence, teachers and children will also be happy with the new school.
Lenworth McDonald, who also lives in the vicinity, believes it's good for the community because many parents cannot afford bus fares when their children have to attend another school.
Principal Ianthie Chambers says she is particularly happy that she no longer has to turn students away. "The school can accommodate at least 70 students after the GSAT results".
Mrs. Chambers notes that attendance has improved and that even on Fridays there are more than 300 children. "Now that they have the new building, everybody is so excited."
Mrs. Chambers, a teacher for 28 years, says she is determined to provide an environment where the children learn to care for things. With the help of the teachers and the community, she has started a number of these activities. Some of the children are raising ornamental fish, while others are assigned to tend to the aquarium in the staff room. There is a hutch at the back of the school with a few rabbits and a coop with birds.
The children cannot contain their excitement about caring for the creatures. The "transformation is really great," says Mrs. Chambers who has seen the building, which started as a vibrant school in 1973, in its various phases. It was closed due to violence and had been vandalised over the years. The community, however, sought to keep it alive by doing pottery and opening a library in the complex.
The refurbished school has been repainted, and has been equipped with sanitary facilities; classroom, electrical and plumbing fixtures; a well-equipped kitchen; a paved playground area; and fencing to secure the premises.
The school was refurbished by the Jamaica Social Invest-ment Fund (JSIF) at a cost of $11 million and is one of 69 projects undertaken in inner-city communities.
