Yallahs Police Youth Club Stages Back-to-School Treat

Scores of children from Yallahs in St. Thomas have received free medical screenings and school supplies ensuring that they are healthy and equipped for the new academic year, which starts on September 7.

The annual back-to-school event, organised by the Yallahs Police Youth Club, was held on Friday (August 28) at the Yallahs Primary School.

Staged under the theme ‘A Day of Fun, Giving and Community’, the event was part of efforts to strengthen the relationship between citizens and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

It provided much-needed support to parents as they finalised back-to-school preparations.

Among the services offered were free medical and eye tests by Pillar of Health Clinic Limited, with glasses and frames provided at no cost to students, who required them.

Care packages were distributed to the first 100 children, while other back-to-school essentials were also provided.

The children were also treated to a range of recreational activities, including face painting, football and running events, hula hoop competitions and a bounce house.

President of the Yallahs Police Youth Club, Chanielle Steele, said the event demonstrated the important role that the clubs play in strengthening relationships between young people and members of the JCF, while contributing to safer communities.

“I do think that [bridging] the gap between the youth and the police will result in a safer community for everyone,” she noted.

Ms. Steele explained that the back-to-school treat was also designed to foster community spirit.

“The aim… is to give back to the youth as well as community bonding,” she said.

Ms. Steele noted that the provision of free medical and eye testing was particularly important at a time when many families are facing financial challenges.

“Times are hard for everyone, so if we can help at least a few persons, then that is good,” she said.

She encouraged more residents to become involved in community-based initiatives, including Police Youth Clubs.

“Join the movement…and be a part of giving back to others,” she urged.

“Whatever community that you’re in, you can just check with the police stations. There is a youth club… so, if you can get involved, be a part of something, great,” she added.

Camille Johns-Drysdale, a parent from the Yallahs community, told JIS News that she learned about the event through a flyer shared in a WhatsApp group and was particularly motivated to attend because of the medical and eye tests being offered.

She commended the organisers for making the services easily accessible and underscored the importance of initiatives of this nature to communities.

“It is very essential because… back to school is just around the corner and some persons are having financial issues, so this is very good for them. It basically saves money in their pocket and for those persons who are having challenges with their finances, this is a great help indeed,” she said.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pillar of Health Clinic Limited, Dr. Camila Gonzalez, told JIS News that a three-member team, comprising two doctors and an optometrist, provided the medical and eye tests free of cost.

She urged parents to have their children’s eyes tested early, noting that undiagnosed vision problems can affect their ability to learn.

“I think for the learning process of the children, it’s very important to see if our children are seeing properly to have a better understanding of the materials they teach in the schools,” she said.

“When we do this type of healthcare [intervention] we find out that a lot of children, they cannot see properly and they are not learning because of that, so it’s a very important point for the family itself to get tested,” Dr. Gonzalez added.