Cambridge head girl on a campaign to help peers
CAMBRIDGE, St James — For head girl of Cambridge High School, 17-year-old Oriel Spence, her role is more than just keeping her peers in line and helping teachers with classes. For her, it also means helping fellow students who are in need.
Last Thursday, Spence worked with the school’s prefects to distribute more than 50 care packages and bags containing reusable face masks, hand sanitiser and other items that will be useful in following the safety protocols in place to minimise the spread of COVID-19.
The care packages included rice, flour, sugar and a variety of canned foods. She also handed out 25 phone cards — each worth $500 — to students without Internet connection so they may activate an education data plan.
“I know that only 35 per cent of our school’s population is online and so with the phone cards I hope more will be on,” Spence explained.
Her goal, she said, is to “improve the welfare” of her fellow students.
That’s why she reached out to Bishop Burchell Mcpherson of the Roman Catholic Church’s Montego Bay Diocese who, with the help of Food For the Poor and his charity foundation, provided the food items.
The clergyman was impressed with the attitude and thoughtfulness of the 17-year-old.
“I had to commend her for thinking about the needs of others, so I decided to give her the assistance she needed,” Mcpherson said. “I am aware that there are many hungry children out there… I have pledged my continued support to the programme. As long as I have what to give they will receive it.”
Cambridge High School principal, Harry Hanson, also spoke glowingly of the good work being done by Spence and her team.
“COVID-19 had disrupted the lives of so many families. Many students who would have benefited from a hot meal at school are unable to find daily food,” said Hanson.
“I must commend Oriel
Spence, and the prefect body, who recognised the grave need of the students and sought sponsorship of this initiative,” added Hanson.
Some students collected their groceries at the school while others had their packages delivered. Packages were sent to students in the communities of Cambridge, Retrieve, Stonehenge, Amity and Seaford Town.
Howard Thomas transported the items from the sponsor to the school grounds at no cost, his contribution to the effort.
“I am very proud of the head girl [who] conceptualised this. So when she asked me to transport it I didn’t hesitate,” he said.
Buoyed by her successful start, Spence has reached out to other organisations to keep the project going.
“I don’t want this to be a one off activity, I want it to continue. I have gotten a favourable response from one of the organisations contacted,” she said.