"The Watson Town Basic School Mission of Hope"​​​​​​​​​​​

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​The Watson Town Basic School is located in the Dumfries District, in the parish of St. James in Jamaica. It’s a small rural town about 45 minutes outside of Montego Bay. There is one road that leads through the community. The school sits off the road on a corner piece of property donated by the Hampden Estates, a former sugar cane plantation. Mr. and Mrs. Kingsley Spence are the founders of the school.  Both were born and raised in Jamaica, lived abroad, retired, and returned to the community of their birth. After returning to Jamaica, the Spences noticed a large portion of the children in Dumfries were not in school during the day. The Spence's value of education, and their strong will, led them to start a school. It was a challenging process. A building with three classrooms, a kitchen, and bathrooms was added to the community center. Eventually they accomplished their goal. The school has existed for 21 years and provides a quality education for the children of the community. The staff believes that students can rise above any circumstances and achieve anything with an education to move them along. Their goal is to empower the students to achieve. They feel that students can rise above any circumstance with an education as their tool. Many graduates have gone on to prestigious colleges and schools in Jamaica and abroad. The school’s motto is: "Young Minds are Power”. Irie Vibes Radio Detroit’s, Director Pamela Jones, has sponsored the school for twelve years now, and also sponsors a summer program at the school. Each year, barrels of supplies, and teaching materials are shipped. Items have been donated by teachers, and anyone who just wants to help from the heart. Fundraisers have also been held in Detroit over the years to raise funds to meet the school’s needs.  Our goal is to be able provide a better environment for the students and teachers. They need furniture, school supplies, teaching materials, shoes, clothing, and funds to enroll students of families who are unable to afford school fees.  If you are interested in donating to the school, or sponsoring a student, contact Pamela Jones @ p.welsh26@gmail.com for more information.

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