Creative Club and Homework Help Centre at the St Patrick’s Foundation
Published:Monday | June 3, 2019 | 12:06 AMKeisha Hill/Senior Gleaner Writer
Homework has always been a part of students’ lives. It is important because it improves children’s thinking and memory, and helps them develop positive study habits and skills that will serve them well throughout their lives.
The Creative Club and Homework Help Centre at the St Patrick’s Foundation provides a space where children of Seaview Gardens in Kingston can get assistance with their homework and access to computers for research purposes. According to Sandrina Davis, general manager at the St. Patrick’s Foundation, the Creative Club and Homework Centre came into being following a survey that was conducted in the Seaview Gardens community.
“Our research showed that 38 per cent of adults interviewed were not at home when their children were doing homework and 89 per cent of the respondents lamented the need for homework help for their children. Parents were also interested in having the children exposed to creative arts,” Davis said.
Unearthing skills and talents
Among the objectives, she said, are to unearth and further develop skills in creative arts and to strengthen the relationship between the St Patrick’s Foundation and community members.
“The programme consists of creative arts instructors, a literary specialist, tutor and volunteers. There are a total of 96 students registered in the programme, including 45 males, 34 females, ages 4 to 15 years,” Davis said.
Sponsored by the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education Fund, the foundation has also received additional support from Caledonia Outdoor Advertising and National Bakery.
“We are seeking sponsorship for the second cycle of the project which is to begin in September 2019. St. Patrick’s Foundation relies heavily on donations to keep all our programmes going. We are not in a position to fully fund the September 2019 cycle and as such, we need additional support,” Davis said.
She said parents are extremely grateful for the intervention. “They shared openly in the orientation session that they do not understand the homework at times and so are not able to aid the children,” she said.
Companies wishing to assist the St Patrick’s Foundation can assign staff members as volunteer tutors, cash sponsorship, or food items that are given to the children as a light snack in the afternoon.