A local charity took a major step almost one year ago to help students get access to the resources they need to thrive in school and life.
Acts of Random Kindness opened the doors of its West Bay hub last April, and leaders recently invited Governor Jane Owen to see how students are improving.
After school, students from Sir John A. Cumber Primary School make their way over to the neighbouring blue building that serves as home base for the “Mentor, Educate, Reinforce” (MER) programme.
ARK Director Tara Nielsen said the organisation is proud of the strides it has made, and is excited to hopefully double the number of students participating next semester.
“There are so many students there that could use the intervention,” she said.
That day, some of the students painted colourful mosaics for the governor, while others crafted lego and bionicle creations or partook in other activities.
Educators attending the governor’s visit said they noticed the ways the programme is making a difference, particularly by encouraging higher class attendance so kids can go to the after-school programme.
Lifelong skills
Nielsen said they bring a wide variety of educational activities to the hub, including dance lessons, arts and crafts sessions, robotics, athletics, and group reading.
The after-school programme focuses on fun as well as offering help with skills like spelling and reading, ARK teacher Mary Dixon explained.
“The students get so much from it,” she said. “They’re so excited to come here, and we’re excited to introduce even more activities.”
Educators with the Literacy is for Everyone (LIFE) programme visit once a week for one-on-one reading sessions. The results of their efforts were proudly displayed on the walls of the hub, in pictures of students holding up certificates with their most recently achieved reading level.
“I had a Year Three student I started with last September, who was a nonreader, who has taken off,” she said. “Other students may have other difficulties or challenges that we’ve been able to work with one on one.”
Dixon added that the programme gives students more time outside of class to work on social skills like sharing, and enjoy educational toys they may not have at home.
Reading with confidence
One of MER’s regular visitors is Betty White, a volunteer dog who helps teach children the joy of learning.
During the governor’s visit, students piled atop bean bag chairs in the reading room with their books, ready to read to her and Betty.
Kiralee Harnett, the founder of Shadow’s Heart, has been bringing her dogs to classrooms and other gatherings for years so children can have an opportunity to read aloud to the animals, judgement free.
She said children have a chance to relax and read more confidently, without the worry of misspeaking in front of another person.
“Dogs are great for that because they sit and listen,” she said. “If they make a mistake, they’re not correcting them, they’re just listening, without judgement.”
The recently relaunched programme originally began with Harnett’s adopted dog, Shadow, who was a similar canine ambassador for nine years before passing the torch to Betty.
Harnett said Shadow had visited all the schools across the islands, including the Lighthouse School, and locations on Cayman Brac.
“I knew it was making a difference in the community because I would see kids in the community, at the shops, and they would say hello and ask if I was bringing Shadow to the school,” she said. “He was a great dog in that he seemed to really focus on kids that needed more help.”
Now that the programme is up and running again, the team is looking forward to many more trips.
These visits are also a valuable educational opportunity for teaching children about how to safely, kindly interact with dogs, she said.
Dixon said she has seen a difference in their attitude toward reading, adding, “Some of the students that don’t normally want to read in class have been reading in the group, and that’s great for their confidence in reading aloud. It can be really motivating.”
Future plans
Dixon said exciting new developments are on the horizon for the hub. In particular, they are anticipating the addition of another teacher that will allow the hub to accommodate even more students, potentially bringing the number to about 26.
The programme is made possible by ARK staff and student volunteers.
Looking back over the past year, Nielsen said she has been incredibly grateful for their support, is proud of their work, and eagerly planning for expansion.
“It really does take a village,” she said.
She encourages community members with skills they would be able to share with the students to contact ARK.
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