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Caribbean Literacy and School Support (CLASS) |
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Raising the
Literacy Level of Caribbean Children by Assisting
Schools and Libraries in Caribbean Communities
How can a young person reach a better
future when his or her school has no reading books, their village
has no library, and his or her parents have no books at home?
Despite the polished image as exotic tourist
destinations, the West Indies islands of Anguilla, Antigua,
Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis,
St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and
the Grenadines are economically under-developed and lacking
in education resources. Schools
are sparsely funded by their governments, and funds must be
raised for most classroom resources. Reading books for children
and young adults are expensive — unaffordable for most
parents — in the islands, and as a result literacy levels
suffer. Many adults in these islands do not read above a
grade 6 level; until recently, attendance
in high school was not mandatory and the economies supported
agricultural, fishing, and tourism jobs. All three of those
sectors have suffered in recent years, making education beyond
the 6th grade level extremely important. Within the past few
years, secondary education has become compulsory across the
Eastern Caribbean. Keeping students in school is a positive
step, but many enter 7th grade with 2nd or 3rd grade reading
levels. Here's the CLASS program's three-step approach for tackling
low literacy levels in the Caribbean.
1. Send
Great Books
We've seen firsthand that the "donation
dumping" practice commonly used by charities
that send throwaway books — library discards,
worn-out, outdated, or
inappropriate books
— to Caribbean children is not only counterproductive but
harmful. Hands Across the Sea purchases only new or near-new
books from education publishers Scholastic, Dorling-Kindersley,
and Nelson Thornes, and Caribbean-niche imprints such as Macmillan
Caribbean, LMH Publishing, and Campanita Books. Not only do
kids respond to new, well-written and well-illustrated books
with contemporary subject matter, the effect of "seeing
themselves" in the books is particularly powerful for young
readers. Thus we are sending more and more books about life
in the Caribbean, written and illustrated by Caribbean authors
and artists.
2. Create
Borrowing Libraries
Great books alone are not enough
to create a life-long love of reading. Hands Across the Sea
works only with schools and community libraries and reading
programs whose staff are truly committed
to improving literacy, and can draw
on support from literacy coordinators and remedial reading teachers.
The best way to make reading a part of children's lives is to
create sustainable, high-functioning borrowing libraries, usually
a school library. Doing so takes dedication and resources, along
with substantial buy-in from school staff, parents, and members
of the local community. Together with U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers
in the region, we are developing guides
for creating vibrant borrowing libraries in schools, often where
no library existed before — in the school or the community.
3. Foster
Sustainability
To make sure that the books and teaching
supplies are being fully utilized,
Hands Across the Sea visits
recipient schools and projects. The
visits give Hands staff the opportunity
to tackle school improvement projects and enlist volunteers
to support local communities. In addition to books and teaching
resources, Hands has created special "reading corners"
in primary schools, built bookshelves for classroom libraries,
built and stocked a high-school literacy
center, and helped establish libraries in underserved secondary
schools. We receive a great deal of anecdotal evidence from
school principals, teachers, literacy coordinators, remedial
reading specialists, Ministry of Education officials, and U.S.
Peace Corps Volunteers that our approach is working — children
are responding to great new books, and teachers are empowered
by the classroom resources. To quantify the before-and-after
effect of our aid efforts, Hands Across the Sea has commissioned
a reading attitude survey of primary-school boys. Please contact
us for the specifics of this survey.
Our
Metrics and How We Operate
Since 2007 the CLASS program has shipped over 141,000 books
and 220 boxes of teaching resources to over 55,000 students
at 291 schools,
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libraries, community reading programs,
and youth centers in seven English-speaking Eastern Caribbean
countries. Hands purchases new books from education publishers
Scholastic and Dorling-Kindersley, and Caribbean-niche publishers
Caribbean Macmillan, LMH Publishing, and Campanita Books. Hands
also purchases "near new" children's books at Friends
of the Library sales throughout New England. The books are sorted
and packed by volunteers in the donated warehouse space of Hands
corporate partner Harte-Hanks
in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, and shipped via two other generous
Hands corporate partners, AIT
Worldwide and Tropical
Shipping, to school principals in the Caribbean. Working
directly with local teachers, school principals, U.S. Peace
Corps Volunteers, local NGOs and community leaders, Hands Across
the Sea is helping to promote literacy, classrooms that are
more conducive to learning, and the opportunity to explore art
in under-resourced Caribbean villages — which often lie
just over the fence from four-star hotels and resorts.
September 2012
Report
Sent 18,362 books
and 94 boxes of resources to the following 68 schools, libraries,
reading programs, and youth centers (approximately 13,038
students):
ANTIGUA
(1,617 students; 2,899 books)
• Bolans
Primary School (627 books)
• Clare
Hall Secondary School (478 books)
• Irene
B. Williams Secondary School (140 books)
• Kids
Unlimited Primary School (431 books)
• New
Winthorpe Primary School (414 books)
• St.
John's Lutheran Primary School (452 books)
• St.
Mary's Secondary School (357 books)
DOMINICA
(3,332 students; 5,781 books)
• Achievement
Learning Center (116 books)
• Bagatelle
Primary School (144 books)
• CALLS
Centre (3 books)
• Campbell
Primary School (679 books)
• Castle
Bruce Primary School (491 books)
• Clifton
Primary School (75 books)
• Delices
Primary School (94 books)
• Goodwill
Primary School (48 books)
• Grand
Fond Primary School (140 books)
• Isaiah
Thomas Secondary (185 books)
• Isulukati
Special Education and Pre-School (218 books; 2 boxes of
teaching resources)
• Jones
Beaupierre Primary School (144 books)
• Laudat
Primary School (83 books)
• Morne
Jaune Primary School (140 books; 54 boxes of teaching resources)
• Newtown
Juvenile Futbol Academy (digital projector and screen)
• Northeast
Comprehensive Secondary School (470 books)
• Paix
Bouche Primary School (112 books; 3 boxes of teaching resources)
• Penville
Primary School (371 books; 1 box of teaching resources)
• Petite
Savanne Primary School (121 books)
• Pichelin
Primary School (142 books)
• Roseau
Primary School (46 books)
• Roseau
Public Library (179 books)
• Salisbury
Primary School (388 books)
• Tete
Morne Primary School (546 books)
• Woodford
Hill Primary School (479 books)
• Wotten
Waven Primary School (367 books)
GRENADA
(2,436 students; 1,962 books)
• Corinth
Government School (7 boxes of teaching resources)
• Crochu
Primary School (193 books)
• Grenville
Secondary School (174 books)
• Hope
Pals (2 boxes of teaching resources)
• L'Esterre
Primary School (515 books; 3 boxes of teaching resources)
• MacDonald
College (471 books)
• Mt.
Airy Reading Programme (75 books)
• Nation
Builders (98 books)
• Programme
for Adolescent Mothers (133 books; 2 boxes of toys; supply
of toner)
• Roving
Caregivers (68 books; 2 boxes of teaching resources)
• St.
Joseph's RC Primary School (310 books)
ST.
KITTS (1,116 students; 931 books)
• Basseterre
High School (187 books)
• Irish
Town Primary School (273 books)
• Saddlers
Secondary School (471 books)
ST.
LUCIA (2,927 students; 3,670 books)
• Banse
La Grace Combined School (484 books; 1 box of educational
games)
• Belle
Vue Combined School (497 books)
• Bonne
Terre Preparatory School (256 books)
• Dennery
Primary School (456 books; 1 box of educational games)
• Grande
Riviere Primary School (407 books)
• Gros
Islet Secondary School (471 books)
• Kiddy's
Homey Day Care (87 books; 2 boxes of toys)
• Kids
Step Day Care (87 books; 2 boxes of toys)
• Montessori
School (249 books)
• Soufriere
Secondary School (1 multifunction printer)
• Vieux
Fort Public Library (286 books)
• Vieux
Fort Special Education (5 boxes of teaching resources)
• Vieux
Fort Comprehensive Secondary School (Campus A) (390 books)
ST.
VINCENT and the GRENADINES (1,610 students;
3,119 books)
• Barrouallie
Government School (581 books; 1 box of teaching resources)
• Buccament
Government School (355 books)
• Cane
End Government School (550 books; 1 box of teaching resources)
• Diamond
Government School (299 books)
• Kingstown
Government School (412 books)
• Marriaqua
Public Library (172 books)
• Petit
Bordel Secondary School (470 books)
• St.
Vincent National Library (100 books)
February 2012 Report
2011 / 2012 School Year
Sent 51,470 books and 95 boxes
of resources to the following 100 schools, libraries, reading
programs, and youth centers (approximately 17,000 students
in 7 countries):
ANGUILLA
• Blowing
Point Youth Centre (100 books)
• Little
Dix / Stony Ground Community Centre (400 books)
• Orealia
Kelly Primary School (150 books and 1 box teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• The
Valley Primary School (250 books and 2 boxes teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
ANTIGUA
• Bolans
Primary School (800 books)
• Cedar
Grove Primary School (800 books)
• Environmental
Awareness Group (100 books and 4 boxes teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Liberta
Primary School (100 books)
• St.
Mary's Secondary School (800 books)
• The
Student Support Centre (150 books)
• Villla
Primary School (1,100 books)
• Willikies
Primary School (800 books)
DOMINICA
• Bagatelle
Primary School (500 books and 2 boxes teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Beau
Bois Pre School (100 books and 3 boxes teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Calabishie
Primary School (400 books and 2 boxes teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• CALLS
Centre (400 books and 1 box teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Castle
Bruce Primary School (700 books)
• Castle
Bruce Secondary School (1,200 books and 1 box teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Clifton
Primary School (600 books and 1 box teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Cottage
Pre School (150 books and 2 boxes teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Delices
Primary School (400 books)
• Dominica
Community High School (700 books and 3 boxes teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Dominica
Youth Business Trust (20 books and office supplies)
• Giruadel
Primary School (250 books)
• Grand
Fond Primary School (300 books)
• Isaiah
Thomas Secondary School (900 books)
• Jones
Beaupierre Primary School (300 books)
• Mahaut
Primary School (400 books and 3 boxes teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Morne
Jaune Primary School (600 books and 2 boxes teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Pennville
Primary School (600 books)
• Petit
Savanne Primary School (300 books)
• Pichelin
Primary School (300 books)
• Portsmouth
Secondary School (1,000 books)
• Roving
Caregivers Programme (150 books)
• Salisbury
Primary School (600 books and 3 boxes teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Sheba
Pre School (100 books and 3 boxes teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• St.
Luke's Primary School (20 books for a Guided Reading programme)
• Willis
Strathmore Stevens Primary School (800 books)
GRENADA
• Bonaire
Government School (800 books)
• Corinth
Government School (700 books and 5 boxes teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Grenville
Secondary School (1,200 books)
• MacDonald
College (800 books)
• Mt.
Airy Reading Programme (500 books)
• Roving
Caregivers Programme (150 books)
• Special
Education Teacher Training Unit (cash grant for teacher-training
materials)
• St.
Joseph's RC Morne Jaloux School (800 books)
• Sunnyside
School (650 books and 3 boxes teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
ST.
KITTS and NEVIS
• Bellevue
Primary School (Nevis)(700 books)
• Clarence
Fitzroy Bryant College (St. Kitts)(500 books)
• Dr.
William Connor Primary School (St. Kitts)(800 books)
• Elizabeth
Pemberton Primary School (Nevis)(600 books)
• Gingerland
Secondary School (Nevis)(900 books)
• Irish
Town Primary School (St. Kitts)(800 books)
• Tyrell
Williams Primary School (St. Kitts)(400 books)
ST.
LUCIA
• Anse-La-Ray
Primary School (900 books)
• Babboneau
Primary School (1,000 books and 3 boxes teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Bonne
Terre Preparatory School (900 books and 1 box teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Canaries
Public Library (50 books and 2 boxes teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Cannon
Laurie Anglican Primary School (900 books)
• Children's
Literacy Action Programme (600 books and 1 box teaching
resources/classroom supplies)
• Court
Diversion Programme (400 books and 1 box teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Fond
Assau Primary School (200 books)
• La
Croix Maingot Combined School (1,200 books)
• La
Guerre Primary School (700 books)
• La
Ressource Combined School (500 books)
• Piaye
Combined School (1 box teaching resources/classroom supplies)
• Richfond
Combined School (400 books)
• Roblot
Public Library (300 books)
• Soufriere
Infant School (1,300 books)
• Soufriere
Primary School (1,000 books)
• Vieux
Fort Infant School (700 books and 1 box teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Vieux
Fort Public Library (300 books)
• Wilton's
Yard Association After-School Program (600 books and 1 box
teaching resources/classroom supplies)
ST.
VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
• Bequia
Reading Group (200 books)
• Bethel
Pre School (1 box of books and teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Brighton
Reading Group (200 books)
• Buccament
Bay Secondary School (1,000 books)
• Buccament
Government School (800 books)
• Cane
End Government School (700 books and 3 boxes teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Central
Leeward Secondary School (1,200 books and 3 boxes teaching
resources/classroom supplies)
• Chateaubelair
Methodist Primary School (5 boxes teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Chateaubelair
Red Cross Pre School (1 box of books and teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Diamond
Government School (700 books and 1 box teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Emmanuel
High School (600 books)
• Fitz-Hughes
Pre School (1 box of books and teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• George
Stephens Secondary School (600 books and 3 boxes teaching
resources/classroom supplies)
• Golden
Grove Pre School (1 box of books and teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Grieggs
Primary School (400 books)
• Kearton's
United Community Organization (500 books)
• Kingstown
Anglican School Annexe (10 Scholastic Big Books and 3 boxes
teaching resources/classroom supplies)
• Kingstown
Government School (800 books and 3 boxes teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Mammy
Joy's Reading Group (300 books and 1 box teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Marriaqua
Government School (600 books)
• Mary
Hutchinson Primary School (700 books and 2 boxes teaching
resources/classroom supplies)
• National
Council of Women (180 books)
• Owia
Government School (800 books and 4 boxes teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Spring
Village Methodist School (800 books and 5 boxes teaching
resources/classroom supplies)
• St.
Clair Dacon Secondary School (200 books)
• Stephanie
Browne Primary School (200 books and 5 boxes teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• West
St. George Secondary School (400 books and 4 boxes teaching
resources/classroom supplies)
Hands sent books and resources
to the following 49 schools (approximately 10,000 students
in 7 countries and 8 islands) and 8 community libraries/reading
programs/literacy specialists/local NGOs:
ANGUILLA
• Little
Dix Community Centre (600 books)
• Orealia
Kelly Primary School (300 books)
• The
Valley Primary School (300 books)
ANTIGUA
• Liberta Junior
Secondary School (2,800 books)
• Villa Primary
School (200 books)
• St.
Mary's Secondary School (100 books and funds to paint the
library)
DOMINICA
• Canefield
Pre-School (100 books and 4 boxes of teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Delices
Primary (2 boxes of teaching resources/classroom supplies)
• Petit Savanne
Primary (2 boxes of teaching resources/classroom supplies)
• Grand Bay
Primary (1,100 books and 4 boxes of teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Isaiah
Thomas Secondary (1,400 books)
• Laudat
Primary (1 box of teaching resources/classroom supplies)
• Mahaut
River Pre-school (300 books and 1 box of teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Morne Jaune
Primary (200 books)
• Morne Prosper
Primary (600 books and 2 boxes of teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Roseau
Primary (100 books)
• Trafalgar
Primary (600 books and 4 boxes of teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• San Sauveur
Primary (600 books and 2 boxes of teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Savanne
Paille Primary (700 books and 3 boxes of teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Jinja Pre-school
(4 new classroom tables)
• Veda George,
Pre-School Education Officer (300 books)
• Shermaine
Bardouille, Ministry of Education Literacy Specialist (1
box of resources for literacy and language learning)
• St. Joseph
SDA (200 books)
• St. John's
Portsmouth (200 books)
• Roseau
Public Library (350 books)
• Irie Eco
Children's Program (cash grant)
GRENADA
• Program
for Adolescent Mothers (1,000 books
and 3 boxes of teaching resources/classroom supplies)
• Roving
Caregivers Program (600 books)
• Corinth
Government Primary (1,100 books)
• St.
Dominic's RC Primary (600 books)
• Mt.
Airy Young Readers (200 books)
• Hillsborough
Government School (200 books)
• Hillsborough Secondary (100
books)
• Mt. Pleasant School (200
books)
• Dover Government School (200
books)
NEVIS
• Gingerland
Public Library (1,500 books)
• Charlestown
Public Library (1,500 books)
ST.
LUCIA
• Balata
Primary (800 books)
• Dennery
Primary (700 books and
3 boxes of teaching resources/classroom supplies)
• Fond
Assau Primary (800 books)
• Reunion
Primary (1,500 books)
• St.
Lucia's Council of Persons with Disabilities (5
requested titles)
• Soufriere
Secondary (1,500 books)
• Soufriere
Public Library (1,500 books
and 8 sets of metal library shelving)
• Richfond
Combined School (3,000 books
and 2 boxes of teaching resources/classroom
supplies) • Piaye
Combined School (1,500 books and
3 boxes of teaching resources/classroom supplies)
• St.
Aloysius RC Boys Primary (700 books)
ST.
VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
• Stephanie
Browne Primary, Union Island (700
books and 3 boxes of teaching resources/classroom supplies)
• Union
Island High School, (1,100 books)
• Georgetown
Secondary (1,000 books)
• Chateaubelair
Methodist Primary School (1,300
books and 3 boxes of teaching resources/classroom supplies)
• JEMS
Progressive Community Organization (300 books)
• St.
Clair Dacon Secondary (300 books)
• Fitz-Hughes
Primary (5 boxes of teaching resources/classroom
supplies)
• Kingstown
Anglican (200 books and 2 boxes
of teaching resources/classroom supplies)
• Buccament
Bay Secondary (1,500 books)
• George
Stephens Secondary (1,000 books)
• Pamelus
Burke Primary (1,000 books)
Partnering
/ Working with:
• Over
30 U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers stationed in the Eastern
Caribbean who have requested help in the form of books and
school supplies
• The
Sandals Foundation, Open Books Open Minds, and local churches
and community groups in the Eastern Caribbean and the U.S
• Harte-Hanks
and AIT Worldwide, generous logistics partners
•Boaters
for Books to ship books to our adopted schools
• The
Lions Club of Roseau, Dominica, which helps identify schools
and handles Dominica logistics
• Ann-Wallis
White, a charter yacht broker who has been delivering books
to Antigua and St. Vincent on yachts sailing from Newport
and Annapolis since 1974
• Scholastic
Literacy Partners
May 2010 Report
2009 / 2010 School Year
Served the following 13 schools (3,100
students in 3 countries on 3 islands) and community-based
recipients:
1. Nevis Special Education School, Nevis (30 students)
2. St. John's Primary, Nevis (250 students)
3. Jocelyn Liburd Primary, Nevis (250 students)
4. Tyrell Williams School, St. Kitts (250 students)
5. Newtown Primary, Dominica (250 students)
6. Jinja Pre-school, Dominica (30 students)
7. Canefield Pre-school, Dominica (30 students)
8. Goodwill Primary, Dominica (650 students)
9. Roseau Primary, Dominica (250 students)
10. Isaiah Thomas Secondary, Dominica (550 students)
11. Stephanie Browne Primary, Union Island, St. Vincent and
the Grenadines (250 students)
12. Union Island High School, St. Vincent and the Grenadines
(250 students) 13. Irie-Eco
International Children's Camp, Dominica (50 children)
• Arranged for transport of 120 boxes (about
10,000 books) of used children's books through partner organization,
Boaters for Books.
• Shipped 32
boxes of teachers' and school resources
• Provided resources
and teacher workshop materials to Shermaine Bardouille, a
reading support advisor who supports 35 teachers on Dominica
• Built four
"reading corners" at Roseau and Newtown Primary
Schools with the help of the Thompson family on Tenaya,
who helped us for the second year in a row
• Mentored
a first-grade teacher (under the leadership of Educational
Consultant Chris Lawrence) at Newtown Primary on ways to use
The Very Hungry Caterpillar in her classroom
• Refurbished
an unused classroom and created a new lunch room at Roseau
Primary School with the help of two cruising families, the
Van Alstines and the Springs
• Created a
Literacy Centre at Isaiah Thomas Secondary School: painted
the room with the help of the Wilsons, a cruising family;
built 13 bookcases in two semicircles with display shelving;
filled shelves with donated books; and presented the center
to the school in a handing-over ceremony attended by the local
MP
March 2009 Report
2008 / 2009 School Year
Served 3 schools (530 students in 3
countries on 3 islands):
• Arranged
for transport of 25 boxes of used children's books to three
schools on Nevis, Dominica, and Union Island through partner
organization Boaters for Books
• Shipped 10
boxes of teachers' and school resources to three schools
• Built 12 bookcases,
one for each classroom at Newtown Primary School Roseau, Dominica
(250 students)
•
Provided seed funding for a playground at Goodwill Primary
School, a school with 650 students in Dominica
• Donated funds
to a sea turtle conservation organization to support beach
patrols during nesting season
• Hosted
Katy Linskey, a 4th year medical student, on board our sailboat
Hands Across the Sea to perform 2.5 weeks of volunteer
work at the Roseau Primary Care Clinic in Dominica
• Received
hands-on project assistance from other cruisers: Bob and Betsy
on Belair; Jim and Katie on Tenaya; the Ellsay
family on Stray Kitty; the Lewis family on Cream
ways
you can work with Hands...
how to donate funds
Cash donations can be made through
a check made out to "Hands Across the Sea, Inc."
and mailed to Hands Across the Sea, Inc., 651 Orchard Street,
Suite 203, New Bedford, MA 02744.
Or you can donate via the secure PayPal interface on the Donate
to Hands page. If you have a specific school or project
you'd like to "adopt," please tell us in the Comments
section of the PayPal interface or on your check. You'll help
us fulfill the specific Wish
Lists of our recipients.
sort or pack books for Hands
Want to work hands-on? Please contact
us!
host a Hands presentation or Hands
fundraiser If you'd like to
do either— contact us!
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