BOSCOBEL, ST Mary – For the third time in about two years, Sandals International has “treated” children from inner-city areas of Kingston to another side of Jamaica.

Under the Life Enrichment Programme, Beaches Boscobel in St Mary, owned by the Sandals Group, hosted 28 youngsters aged between 10 and 16, and five teachers to a day of fun and entertainment at the all-inclusive family resort on Friday.

The kids were chosen from Greenwich All-Age, Haile Selassie Comprehensive High, St Peter Claver Preparatory, Tavares Gardens Primary, Cockburn Gardens Primary and Junior High and Hagley Park Preparatory schools.

“We want to expose them to a different environment; we want them to see ordinary people like themselves operating in a first-world environment, show them that with a little opportunity they too can succeed,” said Sandals’ director of communication Leo Lambert.

Lambert said the idea was for the children to see and have another experience of what life can be, far removed from the inner city.

He said a lot of the indiscipline in inner-city areas stem in part from their not being exposed to experiences that are life-enriching.

The bus with the local guests arrived after 10 o’clock and they were greeted on arrival by public relations manager Denise Treasure and sales manager Ruth Garnett.

A number of guests, on checking out, spoke briefly with some of the kids and when told of the programme, quickly commended the move by the Sandals Group.

Jamie-Lee Richards, a bright 10-year-old student of Hagley Park Prep, immediately struck up a conversation with Garnett and a reporter, setting the tone for what would turn out to be an enjoyable day for them.

The water slide and the pool, plus the wide variety of foods, which they had lots of, were favourites among the children. Some spent time playing video games, while others just lazed on the pool deck with an ice cream cone or some popcorn. They seemed not to have a care in the world.

“I think this initiative is a good one because taking the children out of the inner city and bringing them into another area so they can see other places in Jamaica is really a good thing for them,” said Georgia Clair, a teacher at Greenwich All-Age.

Her counterpart Nadine Morris from Cockburn Gardens Primary and Junior High also praised the move.

“I think this venture is really good, it’s really exciting,” she said.

Sean Clarke, a 15 year-old grade nine student at Haile Selassie Comprehensive, told the Observer that he benefited from the experience as, among other things, it allowed him the chance to interact with new people. And although he has his mind firmly set on becoming a teacher, working in the resort industry now appears a viable option for him.

Shanita James, a grade seven student at Greenwich All-Age, also believed that interacting with new people was of tremendous benefit to her. “And it was lots of fun also,” she said.

And while most of the children and teachers enjoyed themselves at the pool area, eating burgers at the grill, serving themselves ice cream, popcorn and soda, Raymond Simmonds, teacher at Tavares Gardens Primary, took two of his male students to the dining room to eat in a more formal setting, learning what to do (and what not to) in such a situation.

Observing them, it seemed they enjoyed the experience almost as much as they did the meal.

This was the second time Beaches Boscobel was hosting youths from Kingston’s inner-city communities.

In March 2003, 20 youngsters, accompanied by teachers, spent a day at the resort experiencing a different way of life other than that which they were accustomed to, under a project by the Operation Restoration Christian Academy (ORCA).

Two months later in May 2003, Beaches Negril hosted 18 students from Tivoli Gardens and Trench Town, under the same ORCA programme.

“They had a wonderful time and were impressed by the variety of attractions here. I’m pleased that everything went well and the children were very happy at being accommodated and treated as special,” Treasure told the Observer.

One lucky child will return to the property along with three family members later this year as winner of an essay competition, Treasure said.

The children were asked to write an essay titled, “My day at Beaches Boscobel”, with the winner set to receive a day pass for four family members. The essays are to be submitted by this Friday .

The time spent might have been just a day, but from the reaction of the children and the look on their faces, the experience could last a lifetime.