Since its introduction some ten years ago by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Project has been making meaningful impact. The initiative encourages Parish Queens and the National Queen to establish community and national projects geared towards education, children and youth development.

On Wednesday, January 14, Miss St. Catherine Festival Queen 2014, Danene Cruickshank will launch her community project, a Literacy Project at the Children’s First Achievement Centre in Spanish Town, St. Catherine. The Project will be launched at the Children’s First Achievement Centre office on Adelaide Street in Spanish Town at 10:30 a.m.

The St. Catherine Festival Queen began volunteering at the Children’s First Achievement Centre in 2013 where she offered Guidance and Counseling services to students and also assisted in basic reading and writing skills.

The Children’s First Achievement Centre is a non-government organization which caters to at- risk youths, ages 10-16, as well as their families. The St. Catherine Festival Queen noted that it is against this background that she decided to establish a Literacy Programme at the centre as her Project.

After its launch on Thursday, the Project should be rolled out January 23, 2015 until the remainder of the school year. It will also assist teachers with helping parents to better support their children with their academic performance.