“THERE is no friend as loyal as a book,” once said Ernest Hemingway, and his words ring true in a path-breaking initiative in Trench Town, where young people are finding friends in books.

Nestled in the community of Trench Town, the brightly painted façade of the Trench Town Reading Centre (TTRC) radiates an abundance of upbeat energy. A haven in this inner-city community, the centre is testimony to the idea that reading can nurture a sense of possibility and build confidence, skills and experience for young people to make the right choices.

“It is heartwarming to see how these children are pushing to break through the cycle of challenges they face every day,” said Debra Lopez-Spence, centre director, Scotia Private Client Group.

For four years, Scotia Wealth Management Division — Scotia Private Client Group, Scotia Investments Jamaica Limited, and Scotia Jamaica Life Insurance Company, have been strong supporters of the centre and Co-Founder & Director Roslyn Ellison. Now celebrating its 20th year of operation, the centre’s programmes use creative arts and experiential learning to spark student performance.

Utilising the library’s extensive collection, a comprehensive range of learning activities respond to needs, abilities and interests of participants who range in skill from gifted to challenged.

“This is my community; this is my family,” said Ellison. “It’s been a long, challenging road, but we are still travelling forward. The centre is about learning with understanding in a child-centred creative learning environment, nurturing self-confidence within our children so that they know they have a place in the world beyond the few blocks that is Trench Town.”

The Trench Town Reading Centre serves as a complete, no-fee lending library and education centre for the community, with as many as 100 children attending to join in various education and arts programmes, and to borrow books. Plus there are special programmes and events such as an intensive summer programme and community spelling bee. Programmes at the centre use hands-on learning-by-doing with individual tasks, shared activities and projects. There is also a specific and themed curriculum with a primary focus on language arts, literacy, comprehension, storytelling and writing, drama, poetry, developing critical thinking skills and building self-esteem. “From readings and performances to art projects, we are inspired to see how imaginative the staff is in engaging the children,” said Lopez. “Over the years Scotia Wealth Management Division has supported their efforts through the donation of funds, art supplies and books, and also by improving the physical space at the centre.”

Over the past four years, Scotia Wealth has hosted the centre’s annual spelling bee competition, a hugely popular community family event featuring spellers five to 15 years old. Last year’s edition had 81 spellers in the competition.

“From a corporate perspective, it is important for us to support the work at the centre, but I can tell you, our volunteers especially enjoy being a part of the spelling bee competition,” said Hugh Reid, president of Scotia Jamaica Life Insurance. “There is something about seeing the drive and the focus in each young contestant that excites us, and keeps us coming back year after year. You can see in their eyes that it’s not just about winning the competition, it’s also about winning at life.”