Education Minister Silveria Jacobs and Ki-Mani Olivacce.
POND ISLAND–Education Minister Silveria Jacobs is supporting the back-to-school drive being coordinated by sixteen-year-old Ki-Mani Olivacce.
Jacobs met with Olivacce on Friday, July 7, to discuss the vision and projection of his project. The Back-to-School Drive is a project Olivacce began last year. It targets students who are in foster care and parents who are unable to provide school materials and supplies for their children. “Not having the basic essentials like a paper and pencil to write with should not deter a student from being eager to learn and go to school,” Olivacce was quoted as saying in a press release issued by the Minister’s cabinet on Thursday.
Olivacce is inspired by his parents and family members, who have always taught him the importance of sharing and helping persons in need. “I admired that characteristic [community service, Ed.] that’s shown within a lot of members of my family,” Olivacce said. He would like to inspire, as well as encourage the community to donate to the drive.
Jacobs, through her foundation, “Your Voice, Your Choice”, also began a back-to- school drive in 2014. The release said there are various organisations with similar goals working towards the same cause. “The results would be greater with the collaboration of organisations to execute one big project. Therefore, the Minister has decided to team up with Mr. Olivacce in a collaborative effort to meet the needs of more students in preparation for the new school year,” it was stated in the release.
“Our students are our future and as a community we must to do our part to safeguard their future. Students require supplies as well as learning materials, along with teachers, to help attain their maximum potential.”
Supplies such as agendas, three-ring binders, backpacks, colouring pencils, pens/pencils, paper, Crayons, dividers, folders, glue bottles, glue sticks, erasers, highlighters, markers, notebook paper, pencil cases, rulers, spiral notebooks, calculators and any other school supplies will be accepted.
The donations can be dropped off at the Windward Island Bank (WIB) in Philipsburg, Meyers Group of Companies’ main office on Bush Road, as well of the Cabinet of the Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport at the new Government Building on Soualiga Boulevard.
The drive began on July 3, and will end on August 11. Persons who are aware of children in need of school supplies should notify Roylyka Roache at: roylyka.roache@sintmaartengov.org . Persons are asked to include the name, age, school of the child(ren) and the contact information of the parent/guardian. Olivacce can be contacted at tel. 522-5252 or 523-1361 and the Cabinet at tel. 520-0285.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/67659-minister-supports-back-to-school-drive
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