Leethan Grandison, Outlook Youth Writer

Odette Barron, a final-year student at the University of the West Indies, pursuing a degree in media and communication. - Contributed

When one hears the success stories of youths who have contributed to the development of their communities, these youths are usually from the Corporate Area. They are seldom from rural communities.

Outlook Youth recently met with a young woman, a firm community person who is involved in a developmental project for her community. And yes, it is a rural community.

Odette Barron is a 20-year-old final-year student at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, pursuing a degree in media and communication with emphasis on public relations. She considers herself to be a normal teen. However, there is something that distinguishes her from her peers. Barron believes in givingback to her community that has moulded her in being the person she is today.

In a recent interview with Outlook Youth, Barron indicated that this is her reason for starting the Literacy for Life Campaign, a project that seeks to increase the literacy level in her home community and past school in Donnington district, western St. Mary. The community project serves as well to fulfil requirements of her media courses at UWI.

"The project is undertaken at the Donnington Primary School, targeting children in grade four to six in trying to increase their literacy skills and to enact some behavioural change," state Barron. She added that this was well needed as the students approached a critical path in their education, "They will be sitting GSAT and the Grade Four Literacy Test."

Received great support

According to Ms. Barron, "The project has received great support and feedback from the parents and the school community. The students, too, have also seen it as a great thing.

"The parents have not been left out, and as such, a series of seminars has been conducted to teach them to motivate their children, as well as themselves, on what they can do at home to hone their son's/daughter's skills."

The students, too, have had seminars to benefit them. Among the guest speakers for both groups is youth ambassador and teacher at the Oracabessa High School, Simone Smith.

"We have had a number of setbacks because we find that because the project is in the rural area it was hard getting some of the people, who were mainly based in Kingston. There was also no sponsorship of the programme, but this did not hold back the project." However, Odette was quick to add that contributions have come from several persons, including Colette Murray (volunteer); A. Masters (teacher); Joy Brown, who gave a donation to the project, and Damion Thomas. Furthermore, there is the support system of her family.

Odette claims not to live life by a particular philosophy but sees herself living life to the fullest and what is deemed right. Her advice for other persons is, "If you see a need or a gap and you are in a position to change people's lives, seize that opportunity to bless and inspire the life of another."