MANDEVILLE, Manchester — A passion for and dedication to literacy and numeracy development among children remain the primary focus of founder of YeCats Foundation Stacey Robinson who recently hosted a six-week summer school here.

Robinson told the Jamaica Observer that the summer school, which has been hosted annually for the past five years, benefited 17 students this time around.

“It started at my home in southern St Elizabeth and now we have the opportunity of doing it for the past two years at Manchester High School. This year the students registered [were] from age three to 12 years old,” said Robinson.

Pointing to the significance of continued learning over the summer holiday, she said students enrolled in the initiative learned about more than just literacy and numeracy.

“We have been partnering with different [groups including] the Jamaica Defence Force, the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Jamaica Fire Brigade and also Manchester High School. Each time we had presenters coming in showing their careers and telling the students how important reading is to them,” added Robinson said as she pointed to the importance of promoting reading among children.

“The foundational skills are really important, because once students have that foundational skill down pat, they are able to be independent and global readers,” she said.

Stacey Robinson, founder and literacy coach of YeCats (Photo: Kasey Williams)

Reflecting on the summer school, Robinson recognised the efforts of students.

“The reason it was for six weeks was because we realise that once the students do three weeks of summer school and they have that [long] break they return to school as if they were starting out new. We extended it to six weeks and we still gave them the opportunity of having two weeks of summer vacation. We included recreational activity, so they won’t feel as if they are missing [out],” she said.

“One of the students who really stood out to me this year was a young man who I met when I was doing the programme at Bethabara Primary. He was very shy and reserved and after being here he is among the top spellers in the class,” Robinson added.

The summer school, which ended on Thursday, is among several initiatives by Robinson through the YeCats Foundation.

Last year, while several schools were shuttered following the passage of Hurricane Melissa, Robinson launched YeCats Mobile Resource Centre in the ravaged town of Black River, reaching more than 120 students.