HUNDREDS of students from St Ann and St Mary are to benefit from the SuperKids literacy project — the result of a partnership involving the Sandals Foundation, the Ministry of Education and Great Shape! Inc.

The project, which is in its third year, begins tomorrow and will see volunteers with the SuperKids Literacy Project from the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada working with local students in four primary and one all-age schools in the named parishes.

The educational institutions to benefit are: Boscobel, Newstead, Parry Town and Breadnut Hill primary schools, and Beecher Town All-Age School.

“Education is at the heart of the Sandals Foundation efforts and we are very pleased to partner with SuperKids so that together we can contribute to better prospects for Jamaica’s children by improving literacy levels,” said Heidi Clarke, the foundation’s director of programmes.

“This is the third year for this project and so far the response has been tremendous from all the parties involved, and we expect the same this year. We have seen improvement in the methods the teachers are using to make reading lessons more exciting, which is really the goal of this programme,” she added.

SuperKids helps students improve their reading scores through a curriculum in literacy, computers, art, music and sports. This year, over 60 volunteers will team up with five schools to work with several hundred students. Thousands of books and scores of uniforms will also be delivered to students.

As part of its sponsorship, the Sandals Foundation provided the links into the schools and the communities, and through its foundation volunteer team fund and co-ordinated transportation and provided on-the-ground logistical support.

“A child who can’t read becomes an adult who struggles in society,” noted Gretchen Lee, co-founder of Great Shape! Inc.

She added that the programme was indeed making a difference, as the schools that partner with the Sandals Foundation and Great Shape! have all shown improvements in their test scores.

“We are blessed by our number one sponsors. All this would not have possible without the Sandals Foundation’s assistance. It really shows that they care,” Lee added.

Laurel Brent-Harris, a senior official at the Ministry of Education, said: “I love SuperKids’ holistic approach. These volunteers engage the child fully. The ministry is pleased to play a role in such a wonderful endeavour.”

Among this year’s SuperKids volunteers are educators, computer techs, athletic coaches, students, artists and musicians.