More than 1,000 students from the Fairy Hill and Zion Hill communities in Portland benefitted from the Bright Hope Foundation back-to-school treat held two Saturdays ago at Zion Hill Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

Six students were the recipients of scholarships and electronics, while others received school supplies including bags.

Guest speaker Michael Henry hailed the foundation for organising the stellar event.

“They are empowering persons to gain an education and a better life and giving hope to others to reach out to the stars and strive for excellence and not mediocrity, as we need to soar like the eagle as we become agents of change,” he challenged.

Sasha Anderson, one of the co-founders of Bright Hope Foundation, told the Jamaica Observer North & East that the foundation was launched in 2014.

At that time, she said three scholarships were awarded totalling US$1500.

“We shared a common idea to make a difference today, to those who are fighting for their tomorrow. We started in 2014 with three scholarships with a total value of US$1,500, that was donated by friends overseas. In 2016, we expanded the donation to include school supplies for all students irrespective of their academic [performance]. As the years progressed we continued with monetary donations and quality school supplies. We believe in ‘paying it forward’ by assisting students to exceed their greatest potential. As Jackie Mutcheson once stated, ‘It takes each of us to make a difference for all of us’,” Anderson said.

Bright Hope Foundation’s mission is to empower and transform the lives of students by enhancing the threshold for the academic excellence of Jamaica’s greatest resource — its students.

Here are some highlights.