MONTEGO BAY, St James — Students in schools across Jamaica are being urged to direct their energies towards positive action and stay away from violence.

That’s the message from several past members of the Ocean Blue Jamaica Marine Corps, who spoke of how they benefited from the experience.

“A lot of crime and violence is out there and some are being done by kids, and therefore it would be good to get them into something like our cadet programme,” Denesia Wilson told the Jamaica Observer.

Last month there were several reports of students engaging in violent activities, including at Irwin High School in St James, where 15-year-old Raneil Plummer was stabbed to death just outside the institution’s gates.

“I would urge them to do cadet, a uniform group, where we know that our kids are safe; they know to go to the higher authority before they do irrational things that they are going regret that will endanger their future,” Wilson appealed.

Wilson, who is currently training to be a nurse, was among several past members of the cadet corps to be acknowledged for their service to the group during a graduation ceremony for one batch, held Tuesday at Montego Bay Civic Centre.

She was the first female to join the ranks of the Marine Cadet Corps in Jamaica and said the experience has been a positive one. She sees it is a much better option than ending up in a juvenile detention facility.

Sixth-form student Jevaun Downer, a former cadet who is now an officer candidate with Ocean Blue Jamaica Marine Corps, spoke of witnessing increasing violence at Green Pond High School in St James.

“Even at my school there has been an increase in fights over the years. Those students who are fighting, I think without a doubt, they should join the programme,” he said.

“It will teach them discipline, teach them anger management, among other things, so I think it would be very beneficial,” Downer added.

Police Constable Corleone Campbell warned that students with too much free time can lead to negative consequences if not managed properly.

“They need to keep themselves active instead of thinking about doing something wrong,” he stated.

He said extracurricular activities such as the cadet corps, football and music clubs had been instrumental in steering him on the right path. According to Campbell, he did not get off to a great start but once he joined the cadets, things changed for the better.

“I would urge every school to have a cadet corps to instil discipline. It’s a good programme to have in schools and I would encourage students, if these clubs are there, to join them,” he said.

Commander Tracy Box, programme director at Ocean Blue Jamaica Marine Corps, also believes more uniformed groups in schools could go a far way in curbing maladaptive behaviour in students.

“We know that crime and violence exists in the schools but we have taught our cadets a level of discipline. Our creed says we do not lie, we do not cheat, we do not fight, and we do not steal,” she said.

“We can go to our camps that we have and there is no level of violence, no matter how many [of us are there] and we have between 300 and 500 children impacting our camps,” she continued.

Box theorised that students simply need to feel a sense of belonging.

“We have several of our past cadets in the audience and they, at grade eight and nine, were always truants. The programme saved them. Some became prefects, some became student council leaders, so we know the impact the programme has,” she said.