MAY PEN, Clarendon — More than 20 grade six students from the Foundation Preparatory School in May Pen left the confines of their classrooms and took to the streets, delivering warm meals to the homeless on Wednesday afternoon.

The students’ prefect body created the ‘Foundation Help Foundation’ movement with its main focus being one of the core values of the school —caring for others.

Latoya Bennett, principal, said the current cohort of students created the club where they meet and decide on different projects geared toward assisting people. “The first project they did was to assist the children’’s home in Four Paths in February. The students met and fleshed out the ideas for the activities they wanted to undertake. Later they agreed that they wanted to close off the term by helping out the street people, and so, today’s activity is as a result of those discussions,” Bennett told the
Jamaica Observer on Wednesday.

“I believe today’s activity will have a positive impact on the students in terms of changing their perception of homeless and street people so they will learn not to discriminate against them. Not because they are on the streets means they did something wrong, some of them may have fallen on hard times, or may not have the required family support why they end up on the streets. It gives the students some compassion towards the street people and that they should care about them. It certainly had a great impact,” added Bennett.

The Foundation Help Foundation is headed by the school’s Head Girl Tiana Reid, along with other student leaders who assist in raising funds for its activities. The prefect body has 21 students but on Wednesday 25 students participated as other students, who are not prefects, were excited to join in.

Parents and teachers assisted the students by donating cash and kind.

Bennett said 100 meals were prepared and delivered to the homeless people by the students.

She pointed out that, “the premise is that the incoming prefect body for the next academic year will continue the movement and build on it and continue to impact the communities either locally or in different parishes”.

According to Bennett, her students expressed satisfaction at the gesture and one student said she felt nice because she was able to extend her hand and give some food to someone else.

Bennett told the Observer that the student said she felt fulfilled and appreciated as she was able to provide a meal for someone in need.

“Some of the students were a bit timid because it was their first time but the experience was just as good and fulfilling,” added Bennett.

A beaming Bennett said she too felt extremely proud.

“I am very proud of my students for having decided they wanted to do this and made the effort. Our grade six teachers and one parent assisted greatly today and ensured this was a reality. I am humbled that the students feel that they must care for not only people within their cluster, but people who seem to be vulnerable in diverse circumstances,” said Bennett.

She added that in the future she will be looking to partner with other schools at the primary level with the aim of executing two activities per academic year.

“We are using the students to create an impact because they are the future leaders of tomorrow’’s society,” declared Bennett.

In the meantime Head Girl Reid said she’s happy to have been able to feed the less fortunate and show them compassion.

“I feel sympathetic towards them knowing that they cannot provide it for themselves, and I am glad they got the food today. I hope in the future more people will be inspired and come out and give them food,” said Reid.