Belize

News 5 Belize
Unlucky preschool finally catches a break

It's an educational institution that we visit frequently ... almost always to report bad news. Today, however, Jacqueline Woods headed to Yabra for a different reason.

Jacqueline Woods, ReportingIt was really refreshing to see smiles on the faces of these preschoolers. In facts everyone seemed to be in an upbeat mood at the Port Loyola Preschool in Belize City. The principal, teachers, and children have suffered greatly following numerous break-ins and other acts of vandalism at the school. But today, as the boys and girls celebrated a cultural day inside the building, there was another kind of activity taking place outside on the compound.

A concerned viewer, after hearing about the losses suffered by the students and staff, decided to use his contacts and extend a helping hand. Michael Cain is the principal and manager of Friends Boys School on Allenby Street. He says after hearing about the children’s plight he had no choice but to get in touch with friends in the United States who decided to use their alternative spring break to good use. The group of volunteers are from Huntington University, a Christian College in Indiana.

Norris Friesen, Academic Dean/V.P., Huntington University “For this group of students they decided they would go on a service project, a missions project to Belize. And so we found lots of sun here and we traded the sun for the grey skies and cold weather of Northern Indiana.”

Michael Cain, Principal/Manager, Friends Boys School “We welded broken bars, replace some bars that were missing, built some new bars where it was needed and those kinds of things. Moved bars there were inside, of the windows to the outside, so that they won’t tear up the windows then find out that there are bars in the inside.”

Principal Gwendolyn Jones says the repairs and the spirit in which they were made, has fostered a sense of renewed energy among her staff.Gwendolyn Jones, Principal, Port Loyola Pre School “We have been through so much disaster and for us to be blessed like this, it is very motivating, it makes us want to come to work. Like yesterday morning I woke up very, very early to come to school because I felt so good, because we have always wanted our school to look the best for the children.”

Investigations have revealed that most of the break-ins were committed by children themselves. Michael Cain“One of the causes that we see from our students is it’s a break down in the homes. Our students are coming with single parents, not enough time, not enough money to just take care of the family. And so the kids start looking for other areas to branch out and end up running with what looks like the macho guys on the streets and the gangs and then they end up getting into trouble.”

It is hoped that the new security measures will keep the burglars out and the school can focus on what it does best: early childhood education. Jacqueline Woods for News Five.The work is expected to be completed by Thursday. In addition to their labour, the group of students bought the materials with money raised through a fundraising drive held in the United States.