Carolyn Lawes, information technology teacher at the Carron Hall High School in St Mary, instructs a student using one of 10 computers recently donated to the institution. - Photo by Nedburn Thaffe

CARRON HALL, St Mary:

The Carron Hall High School is currently benefiting from a donation of eight computers at a cost of US$10,000 (J$710,000).

The gift came along with a newly constructed computer lab, which was done through the generosity of an international body known as the Jamaica Awareness Association of California, (JAAC).

According to JAAC president, Yasmine Facey, the group was founded approximately 20 years ago by Jamaicans living in the United States and initially focused on providing assistance in the area of education and emergency to persons living in Jamaica.

Today, the group has grown and now comprises of, surgical, dental, medical, and education teams, which visit Jamaica in June each year to help in the different areas.

Thanksgiving ceremony

The donation of computers to Carron Hall High was followed by a thanksgiving ceremony on the school grounds last Wednesday. The ceremony was welcomed by state minister in charge of local government and member of parliament for St Mary Western, Robert Montague. Also attending were; Marcia Grant, Region Two's education officer, Dottlyn Dawes, Carron Hall's principal, and Terrence Gillette, chairman of the school's board of governors.

Dawes had much praise for the donors and said the donation would have a positive impact on the lives of students at the school.

Grant said the initiative was welcomed by the education ministry and added that the computers would help in closing the digital divide for the students of Carron Hall High, as the nation moves towards becoming a part of the global community.

She encouraged the students to show their appreciation to the team by making use of the computers.

While education was being attended to during the ceremony to announce the donation, JAAC's medical team left for the Carron Hall Health Centre where they offered free health services to persons from the community.

Medical coordinator for the team, Joan Crawford McDonald, told The Gleaner many persons in the community were treated for diabetes and hypertension among other ailments. They also received six months' worth of medication.

"This is our ninth mission and we enjoy coming to Jamaica. We also believe that the same level of health care we give in America, we should give in Jamaica," said McDonald.

Other donations by the group included a laparoscopic machine that was given to the Annotto Bay Hospital, free dental checks for residents in the Gayle community, along with free surgical advice to a number of surgeons in St Mary and adjoining parishes.