MONTEGO BAY, St James – For two weeks of this school year, 10 needy students at Corinaldi Avenue Primary School in Montego Bay won’t have to worry about lunch. That’s because Merlene Kerr, who graduated in 1979 and now has a granddaughter attending the school, has made a $50,000 donation to the school.

“She is a past student, so she blessed the money at church and then told me to give 10 students from the Canterbury area, because that’s where she grew up, lunch money for two weeks,” Kerr’s daughter-in-law Davisha Ebanks told the Jamaica Observer.

The act of kindness has brought her joy.

“It feels great because education is the key to success. So if we can send these kids to school with just this simple gesture, then that two weeks of learning can better their lives for the future,” Ebanks added.

Kerr’s donation was one of several from past students that marked the start of the school term. Their generosity has been lauded by the school’s principal, Deon Anglin.

“I’m so grateful and I’m happy that the past students are coming along. A lot of them have been calling me, today I’ll be going to the airport to pick up 40 sets of school supplies for 40 students here so the blessing is overflowing,” she told the Observer West on Monday.

These donations take on special meaning for Anglin who is also a graduate of Corinaldi Avenue Primary. She said past students have also been of great help to the school’s fifth graders.

“The Lord has been blessing us, especially through the past students. I was able to retrofit all of grade five with 58-inch televisions,” said a grateful Anglin.

In addition to donations from alumni, the school has received a major technology boost from the parliamentary representative of the area in which it is located.

“All of the grade six [classes] are set to be retrofitted with smart boards from our Member of Parliament Heroy Clarke,” the principal told Observer West. Clarke represents the constituency of St James Central.

Anglin said the equipment, once installed, will play a critical role in the delivery of education, especially for students set to matriculate to secondary school.