Cultural school coming for St Mary
ORACABESSA, St Mary — Non-profit group Grow Youth Universal is planning to build a cultural school in the parish.
According to spokeswoman Deborah Chin, the school, to be called GYU Academy of Cultural Arts, will help young people showcase their talents and educate them about their culture.
“It’s going to also have an educational theme, it’s going to teach the children about our history, teach them about proper grooming and good mannerism, it’s going to teach them about our culture,” she told the Jamaica Observer North East.
To that end, the group will be hosting a youth fair on Labour Day, May 23 to raise funds.
Chin explained that although the physical structure for the school was not yet in place, she and the founders of Grow Youth Universal Carol Grant-Williams and her husband Randell were already working with a number of schools to educate students about their culture.
“We’re really trying to get the youths off the street, we want to get them to do something more productive because there is not much to do for the kids,” Chin said.
She said persons at the fair, which is to be held at the Sunrise Isle in Race Course Oracabessa, would be engaged in a number of activities. It will start at noon and is expected to continue through to midnight.
The day’s activities will include a football juggling contest, African martial arts, art therapy, a kwanzaa presentation, a talent showcase, craft and yoga, fashion show, and storytelling. A number of local acts, including Prof I Nyahbinghi Band, Caribbean Cliff Steel Drum, JR Dane, D’Essence, Cen-C Love and Jungle King are all expected to perform at the event. It will also include speakers who will address various youth-related issues.
In addition, the organisers expect a number of well-known acts to support the event, which is in its third year.
“There’s going to be music, entertainment, food, it’s going to be a lot of fun and we want people to come out and support this venture,” said Chin.