Pitec Publishing has pumped $1.2 million in cash and gear into assisting four schools compete in the INSPORTS/Devon Biscuits Primary Schools National Championship from May 29-31.

Corinaldi Avenue Primary, which won the INSPORTS Devon Biscuit Western Championship, received $500,000 and Barracks Road Primary collected $250,000. Both schools are from St James.

Pitec, which publishes primary school textbooks, then stretched its tentacles into St Elizabeth as Black River Primary received $300,000 and Glen Stuart Primary collected $150,000.

Peirce Parnell, executive director of Pitec, said the entity has been sponsoring Corinaldi for the last four years and three years for Barracks Road. It is the first time for both Black River and Glen Stuart.

“The decision to sponsor these four particular schools involved careful consideration of various factors,” Peirce explained.

“We have enjoyed an extensive relationship with these schools through our products and services over the years and there has been a cry for assistance due to the lack of basic resources in order to be competitive and just to compete,” he added.

“The goal is to identify schools that align with our core values, objectives and the potential impact of the sponsorship,” Parnell reiterated.

Besides cash, Pitec provided gears and Corinaldi’s principal Deon Stern-Anglin expressed her gratitude after collecting the symbolic cheque of $500,000.

“We are excited and as we always say, we are the home of champions, so champions deserve the gifts,” said Stern-Anglin.

“Pitec has been with us since the campaign started, so this gift only boosts us up much better as they have done many years ago,” she noted.

Corinaldi Avenue have dominated the INSPORTS/Devon Biscuits Western Championships but are still waiting for success at the national level. Last year they were seventh behind all-island champion Naggo Head and will be looking to improve.

“I’m expecting them to go out on the track and be a real champion that they are. So, we are expecting greatness,” Stern-Anglin said.

“We have done it in steps because it’s our fourth year in a row with winning the Western championship, and now we’re going after the Kingston league of this, championship. We’re going after it to come first. I know the children are ready,” she added.

“They are hot, they are ready and they are going forward,” said the doting principal.