ORACABESSA, St Mary — Now that the school has $600,000 in hand, work will continue on a courtyard where the dusty surface once kept students and teachers away from Oracabessa Primary School. The school was among nine that recently received grants under the GoldenEye Foundation’s Oracabessa School Support Initiative. This is the second year the foundation has provided much-needed assistance.

Before benefiting from the foundation’s generosity, some students and teachers at Oracabessa Primary had been forced to stay home because of respiratory problems caused by the dust. The $600,000 received last year meant the school could access Internet services and paving of the courtyard could begin so those driven away by the dust were able to return to school.

“The absence level went down for both teachers and students with the paving of the courtyard,” said Principal Winsome Forbes.

This year’s funds will be used to finish the work.

In addition to Oracabessa Primary, one high school and seven early childhood institutions in the community also received financial support under the initiative. Each early childhood institution received a grant of $300,000, while the primary and high schools each received $600,000.

Most of these educational institutions were also recipients last year.

Golden Eye Foundation’s Manager Travis Graham explained that the initiative was the vision of co-chairs Chris Blackwell and Marika Kessler, whose desire is for the foundation to become a catalyst for the community.

“Since the schools were coming out of the pandemic, we had to ensure we do so through education so that we can bridge the gap of teaching, and learning can be improved,” Graham said.

For most of the schools, the funds were spent on putting the physical infrastructure in place that will facilitate learning.

Principal of Oracabessa High School Natrecia Whyte Lothian said the first award was used to add a multi-purpose area last year.

“Our school is a shift system with a school population of over 1,000 students, and we need the additional space; therefore, we started the multipurpose building. This year we will be completing that to a more usable space,” she said.

She applauded the foundation for the initiative but made it clear her high school needs more help. “This is just a drop in the bucket for the needs of my school,” Whyte Lothian stated.

Principal Coretta Minzie of first-time recipient Ebenezer Early Childhood School was elated they have been included this year.

“It’s a privilege to be a part of the awardees,” she said.

With a still-growing population of 30 students, she said the money would be used to put in infrastructure for a play area and sick bay.

Principal Olievene Harrison from second-time awardee Cross Roads Early Childhood Institution, stressed that privately funded facilities like hers need a lot of assistance as they play a major role in the early development of the children and the community.

“We lack funding, as we cannot always depend on parents only. We are eternally grateful to the GoldenEye Foundation for their support and wish others will follow,” Harrison said.

With a growing population of 39 students between the ages of three and six years, Harrison said the funds received would be used to improve the flooring, install partitions between some classrooms, and create a play area.

In addition to the physical changes being made, there has also been another benefit from the work being done by the foundation, and it has not gone unnoticed.

Graham said that, in partnering with the educational facilities, they have watched them develop a solid relationship.

“It is amazing that this has created a strong bond among the schools, and it is heart-warming,” he said.

Schools that benefited from the Golden Eye Foundation’s Oracabessa School Support Initiative this year are Cross Roads Early Childhood Institution (ECI), Race Course ECI, Grace Learning Centre, Covenant Basic, Oracabessa New Testament Basic, Ebenezer Smart People ECI, Oracabessa High, Hamilton Mountain ECI, and Oracabessa Primary.