SPOT VALLEY, St James — Impressed with the results of a new mentorship programme from which 10 students graduated on Tuesday, Mayor of Montego Bay Richard Vernon is urging schools to focus on reforming their young charges instead of quickly dismissing them.

“When we find that the students are having their challenges, do not rush to expel them. Refer them to programmes like these, the Phoenix Mentorship Programme. We cannot be hard and fast in schools where expulsion is concerned while in society we’re talking about restorative justice,” the mayor said as he delivered greetings during a ceremony to celebrate the accomplishments of the students from Spot Valley High School.

They were officially presented with certificates for completing the mentorship programme. Developed by Constable Claythia Edie, a school resource officer in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), the programme was designed to encourage positive change among participants.

Mayor Vernon is hoping it will be expanded to reach more youngsters.

“This programme should go beyond Spot Valley. It should go into every school and I was suggesting to Madam Edie earlier that if it is that the group wants to look at other schools across St James, in a strategic partnership, we can look at how to utilise that partnership with the Montego Bay Boys’ and Girls’ Club,” he remarked.

Vernon, who is the club’s president, believes activities such as its popular marching band and homework assistance initiatives would complement the mentorship programme.

“Not only would you be getting counselling and mentorship, but also at the same time, using your creative energies and all that energy that you have piled up in you to do things, to use it in a productive way,” he said.

St James Police Divisional Commander, Senior Superintendent Eron Samuels has also thrown his support behind the mentorship programme. He sees its potential as a vital resource.

School Resource Officer Constable Claythia Edie (right) affixes a pin to Spot Valley High School student Kimone James, to show she is an ambassador for the Phoenix Mentorship Programme.

“Students move from being a child to an adult in less than five years, so if we don’t mentor our youngsters, we’ll end up seeing, in the next three, four, five years, some of you being on the other side of the law. These programmes will help to ensure that you make the best versions of yourself,” he told graduates.

Samuels explained that while the parish continues to record low figures in major crimes, interpersonal conflict remains a concern, with young people sometimes becoming involved.

He expressed hope that initiatives such as the Phoenix Mentorship Programme would help inspire positive change.

“Our main aim is to see every participant of this programme becoming a productive member of society, maybe even members of the same Jamaica Constabulary Force. Maybe you’ll be coming back to the school a couple years’ time, saying that you were part of this programme, but now you’re an officer, you’re a sergeant, you’re a constable, a productive member of the JCF; or even someday being the mayor,” he said.

Samuels joined Vernon’s call for the programme to be expanded across the parish, allowing more schools and students to benefit.

“Life is full of surprises and it’s short, so we want to ensure that everybody gets the best opportunity. I know that the school has endorsed the programme here, and we want, based on this endorsement, that it can be replicated by other principals, by other schools, right across the division,” he said.

“This programme may be the catalyst that we need right across the country to change Jamaica. But it can’t be that catalyst if we don’t make it work,” the senior cop added.