School #12 – Westwood High School

All-Island Tour Powered by Emprezz, UNICEF, National Baking Company, Purewater & Island Grill

 – In their navy blue uniforms, crisp white blouses and jippi-jappa hats, the young ladies of Westwood High School stand out. However, what really distinguishes them among their peers is their effortless intelligence, grace and poise.

The Talk Up Yout School Tour which is powered by Emprezz Golding, UNICEF, National Baking Company, Purewater and Island Grill journeyed to Stewart Town, Trelawny to talk up with the students of Westwood High School. They were accompanied by representatives of the National Centre for Youth Development (NCYD) Nicholas Mayne and Rhonda Walker-Walters and DJ Bambino.

The school hosts two types of students: Boarders and “Day-girls” who commute, however they both agree that Jamaican youths face many issues such as Abuse, Teenage Pregnancy, Loss of Values and Morals, Crime and Violence, Juvenile Delinquency, Homosexuality, Shadeism and other Racial Issues, Premature Sexual Activity, Poor Governance, Bleaching, The Influence of the Media, The Debt Crisis and Low Self-Esteem.

One of the issues which the girls were most excited to talk about was predictably their interaction with boys. According to them, girls sometimes get themselves into potentially harmful situations out of the fear of rejecting a “cute” boy; an issue which they believe is rooted in the problem of low self-esteem.

A student also voiced her opinion on the state of the education system and described it as “woefully lacking.” In her opinion, students are not being prepared for life outside of high school, because they are not being taught “Civics” and “Logics”. She believes high school students are expected to suddenly grow up and understand everything once they graduate, but they are not actually taught many of the necessary survival skills.

That sentiment is a common one as students at all of the other schools previously visited on the Talk Up Yout School Tour have expressed some sort of fear of the future as it regards how they will survive after high school. The ladies of Westwood High School were also concerned about the state of the country: the behemoth debt crisis, the import to export ratio and the role of politicians in fixing these problems.

They also had much to say on the issue of entertainers leading young children astray with their lyrics which prompted DJ Bambino to ask, “What school is Vybz Kartel the principal of?” He encouraged the girls to think for themselves and recognize the fact that the entertainment industry is primarily aimed at entertaining not educating. Emprezz also reminded them that they need to have strength of character; they should know what they stand for and learn to uphold their morals.

At the end of the day’s discussion the representatives of the NCYD spoke to the young ladies about the purpose of their organization and how they help students in the parish of Trelawny. The students were given help stickers courtesy of UNICEF and the panellists were given baskets from National Bakery, after which DJ Bambino entertained everyone present with his skills on the turntables.

Quote of the Day: “Jamaicans love foreign things. Perhaps we should manufacture goods, send them to America and let them write “Made in America” on them then send them back. Everyone would buy them.”

Next Stop: Manchester High School, Manchester

Written by: Kristeena Monteith

School #11 – Marcus Garvey Technical High School

All-Island Tour Powered by Emprezz, UNICEF, National Baking Company, Purewater & Island Grill

Named after Jamaica’s first National Hero and one of the greatest minds to have ever lived, Marcus Garvey Technical High School is the modern manifestation of a great legacy. The Technical High School has much to be proud of including recent successes in school boy football and a commendable track record in the All Together Sing Competition however when Talk Up Yout visited the school on Tuesday 11th of November, the students were singing another tune.

They spoke about issues such as Pre-Mature Sexual Activity, Teenage Pregnancy, Poor Governance, Delinquent Parents, Juvenile Delinquency, Crime and Violence, Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Infections, Suicide, Unemployment, Smoking, The Influence of the Media and Transactional Sex and expressed very strong emotions, even challenging the traditional opinions on several topics.

The Talk Up Yout School Tour which is powered by Emprezz Golding, UNICEF, National Baking Company, Purewater and Island Grill was accompanied by a representative of the Office of the Children’s Registry, Julia Smiley-Green and the President of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) Steven Golding.

So what do the students of Marcus Garvey Technical High have to say? Firstly, they believe parents in Jamaica are underperforming. Several students spoke of situations they’ve heard of where parents send their young girls out of the home to have sex with older men for money. More shocking was the allegation that some parents force their children to employ skin-lightening techniques such as bleaching, while threatening to “put them out” if they resist.

This issue prompted Mr Golding to read to the students an excerpt of Marcus Garvey’s writings from 1921 chronicling the publication of advertisements for skin-bleaching creams and Garvey’s personal distaste for the practice and his efforts to stymie its proliferation. Regardless of that information one student staunchly defended the practice by asking questions such as “Why do they make bleaching cream, if we are not supposed to bleach? Why do they make Rizla if we are not supposed to smoke?” Mr Golding was obviously concerned with the student’s perception of bleaching and went to great lengths to correct the faulty logic which he was using to justify the action.

That faulty logic revealed itself again throughout the entire discussion, proving the veracity of Mr Golding’s initial statement “Having had the wrong kind of education, the Negro has become his own greatest enemy.” However, the beautiful thing about the students was that they were open to having their views challenged and were able to see reason eventually.

The students openly chastised their political representatives and criticized the lack of youth programs, employment opportunities and educational facilities. They shared stories of their fear of the future as it regards their lives after high school. Once again 95% of the students present were unaware of the existence of the OCR prompting Mrs Smiley-Green to educate the students about all such entities in Jamaica.

It would be accurate to say the theme of the day was “Knowledge is Power” which is an adage the Talk Up Yout School Tour believes wholeheartedly. There was a mutual exchange of knowledge at Marcus Garvey Technical High. The students shared their first-hand knowledge of youth issues and Emprezz and her team shared their expertise and advice on navigating the tumultuous waters of teenage existence. The students thanked Emprezz profusely for the opportunity to talk about their feelings and issues and entreated her to come again soon.

Quote of the Day: “There are factions within society, both in Jamaica and the World at large that wish to keep you ignorant. They want you to stay in the dirt, because when you’re down there killing each other and behaving like animals, you don’t have time or intelligence to notice that they’re enjoying the wealth that could have been yours with education.”

-       Steven Golding.

Next Stop: Westwood High School, Trelawny

Written by: Kristeena Monteith for Talk UP Yout

School Stop #10 – Belmont Academy

All-Island Tour Powered by Emprezz, UNICEF, National Baking Company, Purewater & Island Grill

Jamaica has many hidden treasures; beautiful tourist attractions nestled into lush, verdant forests off the beaten track. It is a sentiment which must be applied to our people. The Talk Up Yout School Tour journeyed to Bluefields, Westmoreland to talk to the students of one of Jamaica’s hidden treasures: Belmont Academy.

Founded in 2009, this school boasts an impressive campus, and according to their principal Mr Rayon Simpson, the best teachers and best students in Jamaica. The Talk Up Yout School Tour which is powered by Emprezz Golding, UNICEF, National Baking Company, Purewater and Island Grill has visited 9 schools in Jamaica so far, with the aim of facilitating discussion about issues which affect the youths in Jamaica, with the youths in Jamaica. A representative from the OCR, the Youth Ambassadors from this region and Recording Artist Nesbeth were also present on Wednesday’s trip to Belmont Academy.

The students of Belmont Academy had many issues to talk up about. They spoke of Crime and Violence, Scamming, Child Abuse and Child Prostitution, Rape, Poor Rural Transportation, Homosexuality, Bleaching, Lack of Support Services for Children, Poor Parenting, Drug Abuse, Street Children, Teenage Pregnancy and Corruption in the Justice System. The School was represented by students Demar Brown, De’Angelies Forrester, Rajay Dockery, Shantoy Martin, Bosworth Ewen and Sydia Fraser on the panel.

According to 4th form Shantoy Martin student Westmoreland has an extremely high rate of Teenage Pregnancy. Her fellow students supported her by saying that this phenomenon has caused issues such as Street Children and Child Abuse to proliferate in the absence of proper parenting. Almost every student raised their hand when Emprezz asked them if they knew a student or teenager who had been impregnated.

Another issue which the students thought was pertinent was the poor transportation systems in rural Jamaica. Another 4th Form student Bosworth Ewen remarked that the combined effect of poorly maintained road systems and taxi operators who refuse to transport children contributes to the poor attendance of students. According to him, taxi operators receive more money from fares if they transport adults so they refuse to transport children.

Many students expressed dissatisfaction with the Government especially as it regards their policies towards children however Mr Simpson pointed out that the Member of Parliament for Eastern Westmoreland, the Honourable Luther Buchanan allocates a significant amount of funds towards paying school fees for needy children. Mr Simpson chided parents who do not need this help but seek it because it is available as, in his opinion, Mr Buchanan could have used some of that money to fix the roads.

Despite the presence of representatives form UNICEF and the OCR many of the students admitted to being unaware of the existence of such bodies. Emprezz urged them to use social media websites more effectively to educate and empower themselves. She also related to them her journey to success which was paved with doing many menial jobs, and working her way to where she is now. She got particularly animated after only two students raised their hands when asked if they were willing to do janitorial work in order to pay for college.

Nesbeth, encouraged the students to work hard and told them to model their lives around the 4 D’s of Success- Dedication, Determination, Discipline and Desire. He also performed several of his most popular songs for the students.

Talk Up Yout Economic Advisers Sherry Perrier and Aaron Ramsey gave the students savings tips, and general financial advice. Both Sherry and Aaron are final year students at the University of the West Indies, their tuition being paid by scholarships. They encouraged the students to apply to every scholarship they can find, never lose hope, go beyond the call of duty, always challenge themselves, because only then, will they improve.

The students were given help stickers with information on where to find help, if they ever need it and the panellists were given baskets courtesy of National Baking Company and Purewater.

Nest Stop on the Talk Up Yout School Tour: Westwood High School, Trelawny.

Written by: Kristeena Monteith

School Stop #9 – Tacky High School-TALK UP YOUT

All-Island Tour Powered by Emprezz, UNICEF, National Baking Company, Purewater & Island Grill

How well do you know your children? Do you talk to them about their issues? Do you educate them and empower them to be agents of the social change you want to see in Jamaica? Do you give them the skills necessary to survive their generation?

The Talk Up Yout School Tour visited Tacky High School in St. Mary recently and gave the students there the opportunity to talk about these things. This initiative is powered by Emprezz, UNICEF, National Baking Company, Purewater and Island Grill and this stop on the tour was accompanied by representatives from the Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network, National Centre for Youth Development and the Office of the Children’s Registry.

The first step to helping youths in Jamaica to achieve their full potential is to find their issues and ameliorate them. The students of Tacky High School spoke about issues such as Weak or Inadequate Political Representation, Crime and Violence, Issuing Condoms in School, The Economy, The High Cost of Education, Teenage Pregnancy, Child Abuse in all its various forms, Suicide, Lack of Adequate Rural Transportation Systems, Premature Sexual Activity and Transactional Sex in Minors. They also gave solutions to these problems and recommended actions to be taken by the major stakeholders in their lives.

The students of Tacky High School mentioned that they want to talk about their issues with their parents but more often than not their parents do not want to listen. They urged Talk Up Yout to have a session with their parents. They also had much to say about the inadequacies of their Member of Parliament. However, Emprezz encouraged the students to find solutions to their own problems instead of relying on politicians or the government.

They came up with solutions which involved their communities working together for the welfare of everyone and were enthusiastic about their ability to change their own situations. The teachers at Tacky High School are undoubtedly proud of their students who has nothing but glowing praises for their teachers, especially their Principal who apparently buys water for the students because the school is not supplied with water from the NWC.

The students also impressed their regional Youth Empowerment Officer Omar Marston who showered them with praises for being one of the best schools in St. Mary and reminded them to always hold their heads high and work hard for all the things they wish to achieve.

Representatives of the Office of the Children’s Registry and the Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network were also on site to provide information to the students. They were given financial advice from Talk Up Yout Economic Advisors, Aaron Ramsey and Sherry Perrier and help stickers with information on where to get help or counselling in their time of need.

After all the serious talk, the students were treated to a performance from Reggae Artiste “Jah Bouks” who also, in his colourful and unique vernacular, tried to give the youths positive messages about themselves and their power as future leaders. He reminded them to live “upful” as he would say.

Next Stop: Belmont Academy, Westmoreland.

School #8 – Munro College

All-Island Tour Powered by Emprezz, UNICEF, National Baking Company, Purewater & Island Grill

Kingston, 26 October 2013 – “In Arce Sitam Quis Occultabit.” These words ring over the Hills and Plains of St. Elizabeth, echoing the history of a school with a legacy of legend. This is the motto of Munro College and it aptly translates to “A City Set Upon A Hill Cannot Be Hid.” Founded in 1856, the school has survived disasters both man-made and natural and stands tall, proud and true today.

The Munronians of this generation strive to preserve the legacy of this school and as they welcomed the Talk Up Yout School Tour to their City on the Hill, they were impressively well-behaved and were perfect gentlemen and ladies. The Talk Up Yout School Tour is led by Emprezz Golding and powered by UNICEF, National Baking Company, Purewater and Island Grill. Accompanying the team on this visit were representatives of UNICEF, the Office of the Children’s Registry, The Bureau of Gender Affairs, the Organized Crime Investigation Division of the JCF and hugely popular local and international Reggae artiste Etana.

The aim of the Talk Up Yout School Tour is to engage young people in stimulating discussions about the issues they deal with and/or witness around them in their wider community or country. This opportunity was welcomed by the young men and women of Munro College who eloquently spoke out on these matters. Munro recently opened its gates to young women for their Sixth Form Program.

Although not many of the students spoke about their personal issues, they had much to say regarding the behaviour of young people in general and also had riveting solutions to some of these problems. Crime and Violence, Juvenile Delinquency, Moral Degradation, Child Abuse, Transportation Issues, Poor Governance, the Unstable Economy, Loss of Patriotism, Lack of Confidence and Academic Difficulties were some of the issues raised.

Interspersed between the serious discussions were moments of light-hearted fun. Emprezz, aiming to better understand the boy’s opinion of all-boys educational institutions enquired about what makes a Munronian special, a question to which 6th form student replied “We are Munronians, no explanation necessary.” This response earned him standing ovation and cheers from his schoolmates.

They were also asked about their relationship with the new Munro ladies and the students of the Hampton’s School. The female students admitted to being propositioned by the boys occasionally but noted that they were always gentlemen and they were careful to approach them confidently and respectfully.

The primary agents of the discussion were the students who represented their respective forms. These young men were: Rashaun Bernard, Amronn Smith, Carlton Collins, Dominique Blair, Syeon Blair and Sujae Boswell of Upper Sixth Form. They were joined by their Vice Principal Alcia Morgan-Bromfield and Guidance Counsellors Andria Strong-Moses and Ms Cogle.

The boys had strong opinions on the issues of Poverty, Tertiary Education and Politics. Most of them noted that in light of Jamaica’s current financial situation their parents have made economic plans for their tertiary education. This particular vein of discussion prompted Talk Up Yout economic adviser and final year Finance Student at the University of the West Indies Sherry Perrier to speak to the boys about planning for their Tertiary Education and the importance of saving. They were also given help stickers with important information about where to get help/counselling if necessary.

Emprezz also engaged them in discussions about how they could improve Jamaica for themselves and for the generations after them, while empowering them with quotes from our first national hero Marcus Garvey. Etana lent her voice to these discussions also, by impressing upon the students the importance of education. She also performed at the end of the tour.

The Youth Ambassador of the OCR for that division, Deandra Goss a student of the Hampton’s School spoke to the students about the function of the OCR and encouraged them to report any issues they come across. The representative of OCID also educated about the dangers of Human Trafficking and how to avoid becoming a victim of this cruel modern-day slavery.

Munro College is a testament of the fact that there are young people in Jamaica who are intelligent and who care about the future of the country. It is the desire of Talk Up Yout to listen to their stories, hear their solutions and help their dreams to become realities. Up Ye Mighty Race, accomplish what you will.

Next Stop: Tacky High School, St. Mary.

Stories of neglected children, abuse, youths with no future, children getting involved in destructive activities, older men preying on young girls, parents forcing their girls to support them through prostitution, these were the stories of the students of St. James High.

On Tuesday the 22nd of October the Talk Up Yout School Tour made the journey to Montego Bay to hear the issues of the youths in St. James from the students of St. James High School. The Talk Up Yout School Tour is powered by Emprezz, UNICEF, National Baking Company, Purewater and Island Grill and this stop on the tour was accompanied by representatives from the Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network, National Centre for Youth Development and the Office of the Children’s Registry.

In a brilliant display of pathetic fallacy, the heat of the second city mirrored the heat that the students of St. James High brought to the day’s discussion. They spoke about issues such as Rape, Peer Pressure, Pre-Mature Sexual Activity, Transactional Sex, Child Abuse, Crime and Violence, Juvenile Delinquency, High Cost of Tertiary Education and Poor Parenting.

The issue which sparked the most discussion was Poor Parenting. Emprezz asked the students to give advice to the Jamaican parents and most responses urged parents to build better relationships with their children. The Grade 8 representative on the panel Aldane Thompson had a very different message. His advice to parents was that they desist from “extorting” their children and “guh look wuk.”

The other students on the panel were Santos York, Trish-Ann Longshaw, Yashanique Thompson and Keron Morson (Head Boy). They were joined by their Principal Mr Williams, who spoke of his experiences as Principal of St. James High. His major issue was the lack of father figures in the lives of his students. According to him, he has had to father many of the children at St. James High.

The courage of the students at St. James High was also of note. They discussed many controversial issues and were unafraid to call names and give personal anecdotes after being assured by Emprezz that their identities would of course remain confidential but more importantly, their issues would be dealt with. One student openly identified her father as a “wukliss puppa” and another spoke of being inappropriately propositioned by a tutor who subsequently impregnated another student.

This particular issue sparked immediate action from representative of the OCR Greg Smith. He urged the students to always report issues of that nature to the OCR as they are the Government Organisation set up to deal with cases of Child Abuse of any kind.

However, when Emprezz asked the students if they had ever heard of organizations such as OCR and NCYD, 99% of them had not. Fortunately a representative from UNICEF, Klieon John distributed Help Stickers with information such as the various websites and organizations that students can visit/call for confidential counselling and intervention if necessary.

In light Jamaica’s financial and economic atmosphere, Emprezz decided to provide credible and practical financial information to the students of the school’s visited by the Talk Up Yout School Tour. Thus, the students of St. James High were given financial advice from Talk Up Yout Economic Advisors Aaron Ramsey and Sherry Perrier such as a quick and easy savings tip – Saving $50 per day for 365 days will generate $18,250 in one year.

They were also engaged in stimulating games. They were asked how they could turn $2000 into $4000 in one year and several students gave ideas such as buying hens and selling the eggs, tutoring students in mathematics, investing it in a company, depositing it to a bank account and allowing interest to accrue on it and starting a lawn mowing business. Another activity Emprezz organized was a simulated Government. The students were given various portfolios or ministries to govern and were asked how they would improve Jamaica through those ministries.

They also yielded interesting solutions such as Fighting Praedial Larceny and the mock Prime Minister decided to reduce the size of his cabinet and use the salaries of those minsters he had made redundant to help the poor. The students also put on a talent show to bring the day’s activities to a close.

Next Stop: 25th October 2013, Munro College, St. Elizabeth
All-Island Tour Powered by Emprezz, UNICEF, National Baking Company, Purewater & Island Grill

Written by Kristeena Monteith for Talk Up Yout

School #6 – Glenmuir High School

All-Island Tour Powered by Emprezz, UNICEF, National Baking Company, Purewater & Island Grill

On Friday the 11th of October the Talk Up Yout School tour which is powered by Emprezz, UNICEF, National Baking Company, Purewater and Island Grill, visited the Pride and Joy of Clarendon, the Glenmuir High School. The motto of Glenmuir is Flagrans Veritatis Studio which translates to “Burning with the Zeal for Truth” and the students of Glenmuir High were clearly on fire when we visited.

The panel discussion was led by Emprezz Golding and consisted of six students: Racquel Smalling, Andre Barrett, Gillian Williams, Amoy Muirhead, Xandre Mohansingh and Allison Mitchell. One of the Guidance Counsellors of Glenmuir High – Mrs A. Francis and popular Jamaican Entertainer Roy Thompson a.k.a Bugle were also on the panel. A representative from the Office of the Children’s Registry (OCR) Cassetta Green was on site to provide valuable information to the students.

The issues raised by the students of Glenmuir included Peer Pressure, Studying Difficulties, Bullying, The Economy, Discrimination, Child Abuse, Child Labour, Making the Right Choices, Brain Drain, Low Self-Esteem, Bleaching, Underpaid Teachers, Human Trafficking, Materialism, Condoms in Schools, The Age of Consent, Pre-Marital Sexual Activity, Unemployment and the High cost of Tertiary Education.

Of all the issues raised, The Economy was by far the most widely discussed. One would think that Glenmuir’s entire school population was studying Economics. Not only were they aware of the different phenomena surrounding Jamaica’s economy, they also quite readily gave a myriad of solutions to our economic woes.

Several students thought a change of voting style was necessary, others wanted Jamaicans to “stop complaining” and fix the problems themselves. Other students called for the educated population of Jamaica to desist from migrating for better conditions and job opportunities, but their peers retorted by saying that sometimes the best and the brightest migrate and return eventually armed with expertise to help the country.

The students were also keen on discussing the issue of Discrimination. According to them, people are still being discriminated against in Jamaica because of the colour of their skin. They gave examples of bank hiring policies which give the job to the “lighter coloured” person regardless of the superior qualifications that the “darker coloured” person may have. They also believed there was “Address-based” Discrimination being perpetuated in Corporate Jamaica.

On the issue of discrimination one very brave young lady spoke about being a victim of discrimination because of her struggle with acne. According to her she has been the victim of cruel jokes and hurtful comments for most of her high school life. She also admits to having suicidal thoughts in the past but as Emprezz comforted her she found the strength to tell everyone about her journey to self-love. She urged all her peers to spread only positivity by always being nice to each other.

One student brought tears to almost everyone’s eyes when he spoke about the murder of his cousin. He began by vehemently speaking out against the members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force who hinder people from working/ “hustling”. When Emprezz pressed him he admitted that his cousin had been killed by police officers who were given incorrect information about him by spiteful people who wished him harm. Although he had been doing very good, when Emprezz asked him how all of that made him feel he could not hold back the tears.

A member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, Detective Corporal Kevin Strachan from the Trafficking in Person’s Unit gave an address to the students about the dangers of human trafficking and steps to take each day to avoid becoming a victim of human trafficking which the students heartily thanked him for.

Many students also gave their peers advice about being self-motivated and industrious because the future belongs to them and to help them in this regard Talk Up Yout Economic Adviser Aaron Ramsey gave the students tips on saving and budgeting telling them that if they save $50 per day for 365 days they will end up with around $18,250 at the end of the year.

The final words came from Emprezz, Bugle and Miss Francis. Emprezz reminded the students to believe in themselves and to create today the right attitudes and values to help them succeed tomorrow.

Mrs Francis urged them to return to the positive morals and values they were raised with and Bugle thought it was pertinent to remind the parents of these children that they have an obligation to their children to raise them properly and shield them from harm. Thus he believes they (the parents) must be educated so that they perform these functions properly.

Dub Poet Gabeana Campbell performed a moving piece called “Mi a one a dem deh yout deh” which was well received by the students of Glenmuir High who could relate to the message. The students on the panel were given gift baskets from National Baking Company and Purewater after which Bugle performed to end the day’s activities.

See you on the next Stop!

Quote of the Day:

“We need to be uploaders, not downloaders. Then we can uplift our spirits and fly!” – Student of Glenmuir High School

School #4 – Port Antonio High School

Parish: Portland

All-Island Tour Powered by Emprezz, UNICEF, National Baking Company, Purewater & Island Grill

 

The Talk Up Yout School Tour was welcomed to Portland by cool sea breezes and lush verdant hills; a stark contrast from the heat of Kingston. The tour, which is powered by Emprezz Golding, UNICEF, National Baking Company, Purewater and Island Grill, was accompanied by Shaquani McKenzie who is a representative of the Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network and Youth Empowerment Officer Dowell Williams.

The panel discussion at Port Antonio High School was moderated by Emprezz and included five students Chavar Johnson, Janelle Hallwood, Kabidi Morris, Shanique Beckford and Ryan Anderson, representing grades 7 through 11. Senior Programmes Development Officer at the National Center for Youth Development and Director of the Forward Step Foundation – Miguel ‘Steppa’ Williams also sat on the panel alongside roots reggae artiste Nature and the Guidance Counselor of Port Antonio High School Mr Bailey.

One major difference between Port Antonio High School and all other schools that the Talk Up Yout School Tour has visited, is that the students did not name crime and violence as one of the issues they face. Their Guidance Counselor, Mr Bailey pointed out that crime and violence levels in Portland are minimal when compared to the levels experienced in the cities and major towns on the South Coast. However, he noted that Domestic Violence is an issue which the students are exposed to.

Other issues raised by both students on the panel and students in the audience included Diseases, namely Diabetes, Stress, Peer Pressure, Bullying, Lack of Parental Guidance, Gambling, Illiteracy, Condoms in Schools, Premature Sexual Activity, Teenage Pregnancy, Suicide, Social Media Safety, Bleaching and Unemployment.

Bullying was an issue which solicited many comments from the students in the audience. Emprezz asked them to identify the bullies in their midst and she spoke to them (the bullies) about the consequences of their actions, empowering them to declare publicly that they would refrain from harassing their peers.

The issue of premature sexual activity also got the students to talk up. When Emprezz asked the students to raise their hands if they knew anyone under seventeen who was pregnant most of the students raised their hands. This sparked a discussion about the factors influencing young people to engage in sexual activity.

One student remarked that parents often force their children to have sex for money, which is then used to support the household. Steppa also commented on the issue, saying that there is a thin line between adults and young people nowadays. He said even the music that young people are exposed to influences them to “dash out” and disregard the sanctity of their bodies.

Nature reminded the students that they have the power to control their natural sexual urges, and encouraged them to be strong and focused. He also weighed in the discussion about bullying by suggesting that cameras be put in schools to monitor the activities of students, a suggestion which all the students agreed to. Remarkably, the representative from grade 10 Shanique Beckford spun the argument around by suggesting that the cameras be used to monitor under-performing teachers, which elicited cheers from her peers in the audience.

At the end of the day the students were entertained by Steppa and Nature, and were given stickers with information about the different agencies such as the Office of the Children’s Registry, that they can call in the case of an emergency or if they want to report a case of child abuse. The panellists were also given Gift Baskets courtesy of National Baking Company.

Emprezz chose to leave the students with inspirational words from Marcus Garvey:

“We must give up that silly idea of folding our hands and waiting upon God to do everything for us. If God intended that, He would not have given us a mind.”

Next Stop: Morant Bay High School, St. Thomas.

School #3 – Cumberland High School
Parish: St. Catherine

All-Island Tour Powered by Emprezz, UNICEF, National Baking Company, Purewater & Island Grill

Not even the sweltering heat that enveloped the entire corporate area could prevent the Talk Up Yout School Tour from journeying into the Sunshine City, Portmore to visit Cumberland High School. This was the third stop of the tour which is powered by UNICEF, National Baking Company, Purewater and Island Grill and the Talk Up Yout Team was accompanied by representatives of the National Council for Youth Development and the Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network.

Despite the humid weather the well-behaved students of Cumberland High were obviously excited and eager to help in any way possible. The panel was led by Emprezz and comprised of 5 students, Jay Lue, Taira Vanriel, Kris-Anna Marriott, Juddine Johnson, Aamir Spencer who represented grades 7 through 11 respectively. Also on the panel were the Guidance Counselor Mr.Hutchinson, Senior Programmes Developer at the National Council for Youth Development – Steppa, Youth Empowerment Officers Gihon Mitchell and Simone Green and the 2013 winner of The Rising Stars Television Show – Saxophonist Verlando Small.

Most of the issues raised by the students of Cumberland High School were of a violent nature, whether it was violence against children or violent crimes. These issues included Death, Violence, Crime, Abuse, Drug Abuse, Smoking, Sexual Abuse as well as Low Self Esteem, Peer Pressure, Illiteracy, Child Prostitution, Transactional Sex, Teenage Pregnancy, The Distribution of Condoms inSchool, High School Dropouts, and Stress.

Some of the most memorable moments of the day were equally parts shocking and sad. For example, when Emprezz asked the students to raise their hands if they knew anyone who had lost their lives through violent means and there was scarcely a hand that wasn’t raised.

Student Aamir Spencer gave an emphatic plea to young men in Jamaica to “Wise up and put down the gun.” He touched the hearts of all present when he spoke about the desensitization of youths in his community to crime and violence. According to him, gunshots have begun to sound like firecrackers.

All five students on the panel also agreed that condoms should not be distributed in schools citing reasons such as “A school is a place of learning”, “Students should be focusing on their studies not sex”, “Sex should occur after marriage.”

There was much discussion regarding the issues raised by the panel and other students in the audience and Emprezz encouraged the students to identify solutions to these issues on their own, while providing them with information about agencies such as the Office of the Children’s Registry which exist to protect them in the event that their safety or well-being is threatened in any way.

Verlando Small also gave the students advice on how to be successful in their endeavours, and addressed many of their issues by giving them solutions and anecdotes from his own life.

The Guidance Counselor Mr Hutchinson spoke of the various situations he has dealt with and continues to deal with. He also called out to Corporate Jamaica to refrain from marginalizing youths based on their addresses. He believes this practice helps in perpetuating criminal activity as intelligent and accomplished students cannot find any legitimate means of supporting themselves, thus they turn to criminal activity to “fill that gap.”

Steppa shared many stories of the youths in Juvenile Centres that he works with and pleaded with the students to remain on the path that takes them firmly away from Juvenile Delinquency. He reminded them to remain focused, keep their goals in mind and strive for success.

The students of Cumberland High were treated to a performance from their own talented student Aamir Spencer, Steppa and Verlando Small to bring the day’s activities to a close.

The students of Cumberland High revealed many important issues which youths in Jamaica are facing every day. They eloquently spoke of these issues and used various stories from their own lives to show the far-reaching effects that these issues have had on youths on a whole. The Talk Up YoutSchool Tour is aimed at finding these issues in every parish. Engaging these students in the discussions which affect them is the only way to find meaningful solutions to their issues.

Next Stop: Port Antonio High School.

Written by Kristeena Monteith