Literacy Projects Reach Out To Even More Students In Jamaica!

This year’s SuperKids volunteers will take Great Shape! Inc.’s literacy project into brand new regions. The project has been so successful in the past three years outside Ocho Rios, the Sandals Foundation has asked Great Shape! to branch out, and move to Negril, Jamaica.

SuperKids is one of three humanitarian projects facilitated by Great Shape! Inc. SuperKids helps improve literacy through a curriculum and resources in reading, computers, art, sports and music. If you have worked with children and have a passion to serve children you are more than qualified! Volunteer Marie Curry says, “For the rest of my life, I can’t imagine not returning. I’ll be back every year”.

SuperKids provides Jamaican children with a holistic program that engages the whole child – mentally, physically, and creatively. Great Shape! Inc. partners with schools that record a literacy rate of 40%-50%. In Jamaica, personal reading books are rare and expensive and treated like gold. A new volunteer to the program in 2010, Jennifer Smith, says “It’s amazing to give from my heart, to partner with Jamaican teachers to provide students with real skills. It’s exciting to be a part of shaping a child’s bright future”.

In 2010 alone, 75 volunteers provided thousands of students and teachers with 31,000 books, 80 computers and a whole lot of interactive teaching. This project is possible with help from generous partners; the Jamaican Ministry of Education and the Sandals Foundation. “Great Shape! can never find words to thank the Sandals Foundation enough. We are incrediblly grateful Sandals believes in our work to make the world a better place,” says Great Shape! Executive Director, Joseph Wright.

Volunteer teams are made up of teachers, college students, coaches, artists, retirees, all kinds of professions. You are now welcome to apply for projects in Negril, you can sign up for one or two weeks.

· Week One: November 4th-November 12th

· Week Two: November 13th-November 21st

All volunteers pay a $700 project fee and your own airfare. There are fundraising opportunities available and you can rest easy knowing 93% of your fee will go straight back into the program; providing books, gear, school supplies, computers, shipping, etc.  Sandals Resorts International provides all volunteers with accommodations and meals at no charge while serving on the projects.