Non-profit organization, United Way Turks and Caicos hosted a special holiday camp on December 27th 2024, to assess children’s reading skills and expand their educational outreach.
Sponsored by the Schechter family, a unit owner at the Grace Bay Club, the camp, which was staged at the Salvation Army’s Brighter Futures Center in Providenciales, was geared to provide both fun and meaningful engagement for local children.
The Schecter family volunteered to spend time with the kids and get involved in what they’re sponsoring.
The camp included a mix of activities, from reading assessments and painting to athletics and jewelry-making.
Grace Bay Resorts, another key partner, sponsored and prepared lunch for the event.
The family has committed to sponsor a reading intervention program at the lanthe Pratt Primary School. The program will mirror successful interventions already in place at Thelma Lightbourne and Enid Capron Primary Schools.
The intervention program starts with grade two students. A dedicated teacher will work full-time at the school, pulling out small groups of children for focused reading sessions. The program has already shown great success, helping children graduate who might otherwise have struggled.
United Way also plans to expand its after-school programs to support older students in grades four through six who are still developing foundational reading skills.
Without this support, many children would struggle to progress academically and could become vulnerable to negative influences.
