Summer fun in Nannyville, Swallowfield

Scores of children in South East St Andrew spent the last two weeks learning, playing and being occupied in summer camps organised by the Member of Parliament for the constituency Julian Robinson.

"It started on Monday and will continue until next Friday. We engage them in a number of activities based on the age group that they're in," Robinson told The Sunday Gleaner.

"It's really to occupy them to learn something, and to take some pressure off the parents because many of the parents don't have the resources to send them to a summer school," added Robinson, who noted that the children are provided with breakfast and lunch each day.

He said the camps are being funded through his allocation from Constituency Development Fund and donations from sponsors.

In addition to the classes provided at the summer camp, students are fÍted with breakfast and lunch daily.

According to Toni-Jo Murray, a business teacher at the summer camp being held at the Nannyville Community Centre, the idea was born long ago and is being continued by Robinson.

"The summer camp has been running for more than 15 years by the member of parliament for the constituency. That included Mrs Maxine Henry-Wilson, and now Julian Robinson," said Murray.

"For this year, we have something different. We have 13-15-year-olds, and this comprise students going into grades seven to nine," added Murray.

Great learning

experience

Antonique Anderson, a student at the Nannyville summer camp, told our news team that she has been learning many new things.

"It has been very great. We have been learning some things we have never learnt before in regular school," said the 14-year-old.

At the Swallowfield summer camp being held at the Pauline Gentles Basic School, programme coordinator Tanya Blair said the programme started in her community about six years ago.

"We have NYS students, teachers here, and we have guest speakers that come in and speak to them. The parents really support it," said Blair.