With the start of the September school year just weeks away, Digicel and The STAR have teamed up to host a massive back-to-school fair, themed, School 'Buss'.
School 'Buss' is scheduled to take place on Saturday, August 22 at the St William Grant Park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
"The back-to-school period is usually a very stressful time for many persons financially, so Digicel is always finding ways to help make it a little easier on the pockets for parents and guardians," said Kamal Powell, senior sponsorship and development manager at Digicel.
"We are very excited about this event as it's our first major activity for this back-to-school season. There's lots more to come too as we'll be partnering with a number of initiatives right across Jamaica during this period so that we can touch as many of our customers as possible," said Powell.
He added: "A huge part of our focus as a brand is helping to develop rounded youths to secure a better future for Jamaica and education is a big part of this. So we want to thank our partners KSAC, Vivo Health Service, Ministry of Education, Caprisun, Jamaica National, Sangsters Bookstore, NestlÈ among others for helping to make this possible for the students."
More than 50 partners, including doctors, dentists, opticians, bookshops, barbers and financial institutions will offer free services to students at the fair which will be hosted by Miss Kitty, Terri-Karelle Reid and Badda Bling.
Additionally, students will benefit from giveaways of phones, tablets, scholarships and school supplies.
"The STAR has always enjoyed very strong support from our readers, so we are always looking for ways to give back to them," said STAR Editor Dwayne Gordon.
"In this case, what makes it special is that, not only will our readers benefit, but also their children. We are proud to be assisting with the education of Jamaican children. For a number of years, The Gleaner has been assisting with the education of our children, with our Spelling Bee competition and various scholarships. This new venture, under The STAR brand, is another such initiative and we are very excited about it," Gordon continued.
The day's activities will include games and rides for the children, a health village, mini talent competitions and games as well as performances by Ikaya, Chi Ching Ching, Ding Dong and Jermaine Edwards.