School Stop #9 Tacky High School, St. Mary

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.