THROUGH a $22-million investment, the Scotiabank Jamaica Foundation has helped to ease the back-to-school burden for more than 2,500 students who have transitioned to Grade 6.

The foundation has provided backpacks, school supplies and book vouchers to the students who are and are preparing for the final leg of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) assessment.

This year’s initiative supported 36 primary schools islandwide, with Scotia Group team members from the head office in Kingston, and across the bank’s 28 locations, helping to pack, deliver and distribute supplies.

According to the foundation, the focus on Grade 6 is deliberate as the youngsters enter their final year of primary school and prepare for the PEP assessment that will help determine their secondary school placement, it wants them to begin the year equipped, encouraged, and ready to learn.

The outreach took on an added dimension at Little London Primary School in Westmoreland, where students enjoyed rides, activities and treats ahead of the new school year.

Cary Wiggan, branch manager for Scotiabank Negril — who led the Little London activities — said the day reflected the relationship the bank seeks to maintain with the communities it serves.

Renardo Haye, a Grade 6 student at Little London Primary School, is airborne as he enjoys one of the many rides during the Scotia Foundation’s annual back-to-school treat hosted at the institution.

“We are part of this community, and our commitment goes beyond the walls of our branch,” Wiggan said.

“We wanted the children to start the school year feeling excited and supported, and to know that there are people cheering them on. Seeing their joy made it even more meaningful for our team,” added Wiggan.

At Alderton Primary School in St Ann, Kerry-Ann Chong, director, sales service and channel delivery, Scotia Insurance, and her colleagues were among the team members bringing that same spirit of encouragement to students.

“The supplies are important, but so is the time we spend with the students. When we encourage them and remind them that we believe in their potential, the experience becomes about much more than handing over a backpack. We want them to go into Grade 6 confident and ready to do their best,” said Chong.

For Rayon Howell, principal of Spanish Town Primary School in St Catherine, the support has made a tangible difference for his school’s 180 Grade 6 students and their families.

“Starting the school year with the resources they need allows our students to focus on learning and preparing for this very important stage of their education,” said Howell.

Getting into the back-to-school spirit courtesy of the Scotia Foundation are (from left) parent Michelle Pringle; K’janae Brooks, Grade 6 student; and school teacher Paige Samuels-Falconer.

“We are extremely grateful for the support. Partnerships with corporate Jamaica are invaluable to our schools because when businesses invest in education, they help create opportunities for students and families,” Howell added.

The back-to-school initiative is one of several ways Scotia Group employees give back to communities each year, contributing volunteer hours in support of education and youth development.

Through Scotiabank’s internal volunteerism platform, team members can log their volunteer hours and earn US$12 for every eligible hour volunteered, up to US$800 per employee annually. Those funds can then be directed to an eligible charity or cause of the employee’s choice.

The platform allows the impact of volunteer service to extend beyond the school visits themselves, generating additional support for eligible charities and causes selected by employees.

For the Scotiabank Jamaica Foundation, the annual back-to-school initiative reflects a continued commitment to education, community partnership and helping young people access the tools and encouragement they need to succeed.

The activities form part of Scotiabank’s annual anniversary celebrations. This year, Scotiabank celebrates 137 years of serving Jamaica, continuing a relationship with the country and its communities that has endured across generations.