| Capital Hues. It was fascinating to sit with these youngsters and their teacher, Andreal Davis, as they sat quietly at a table; there was a gentle rain as the sun began to set and the warm waters of the Caribbean calmly advanced and then retreated along the shore. These students were deep in thought, reflecting on their visits to these schools. Some of these young people noted mostly physical aspects of the schools and their Jamaican counterparts; others saw more deeply into their shared experiences and their differences, and there are some common themes. Willie McGee, age 9: "When I first walked in the first school, I was like 'Wow!'' because it was only a few desks and it was like 85 students in the class. It went up to grade K through 8 and we were the only people sweating and everybody else was fine and there was no air conditioning and no bottles of water. At the second school, when they started performing, man, they danced just like us. When they did the maypole [a traditional Jamaican dance braiding ribbons in the colors of the flag -- black, yellow, and green] it was amazing. I wish we could do something like that in school." Ari Davis, age 9: "They danced so spiritual it made me feel welcome at home. They did a dance called maypole that weaved in a string and it looked like my braids. I like when we danced to the drum with the girls. It felt like a connection between us. The school was sooo big with a lot of people. They didn't have a lot of supplies. They decorated the building so neatly. [Norwell Preparatory] was as little as bootstraps. They think it is very important to welcome us with food. They had rice, curry chicken, bread plant, and breadfruit; they like to play games like us. They loved their school. They liked American games." Arkeem Ashley, age 11: "Norwell Prep School, there was a small room and they were not sweating. It made me feel like I was at home because of the dance and how they were talking. [At] Pell River School, they were all in the same class. It was a 1 - 8 class and 2 teachers." Kevin Rogers, age 8: "I liked Norwell Prep School because we got to do a carnival and I was the boss and the kids wasn't. Sir Clifford Campbell was fun. We did the Dr. Cooper rap then we did the Academy [African American Academy of Madison]. They sang a song called "I won't marry you." I got to learn about the school and it's different. They dance but they don't have as many desks." Tyrone Turner, 10: "At Pell River they had just a few desks on the floors. It was hot and they didn't even sweat. They danced like we do. At Clifford Campbell they sang and danced to a song called, "I won't marry you" and did a maypole dance. The [students] at Norwell Prep were very little and we played games with them." Nathaniel Lake, age 13: "The first school we went to was Pell River Primary School. The classrooms were very small. Everyone wore uniforms. The boys wore brown and the girls wore green. I will always remember how nice the people were. I saw how important education is. Some people don't have our wealth. At Sir Clifford Campbell my dad played the drums. The kids were really easy to talk to. I also remember how the music felt. It felt like a heart beat. Th thiird school was the smallest of the bunch. The school was as big as the deep end at Goodmans pool. There were a lot of children running around. There was no a.c. but the kids weren't sweating! We had a carnival there. It was really nice to see the kids faces light up when we gave them some dollar prizes. A lot of kids in America wouldn't take the gifts if someone gave it to them. What I like about Jamaica is that the people are always nice. The poorest of the poor would still be happier than the people in America. The mood is always light. I will always remember Jamaica." I have traveled with Project JAMAD to Jamaica since 2001. Each year a different group of children arrive -- usually fatigued after a long ride from Madison to Chicago in the middle of the night followed by a longer flight from Chicago to Montego Bay and a bus ride from Montego Bay to Negril -- droopy eyed, hungry, and a little bit cranky. We check in at the hotel's front desk, take bags to our rooms, and then assemble at the hotel's beachfront eatery. The kids look at the ocean, the people on the beach, the pool, and suddenly there is a surge of energy and the dialogue, the laughter, and the learning begins. Every year I observe the moments that occur for each child when he or she suddenly takes in the wonder of something new -- meeting a young Jamaican boy or girl, seeing the eagle in the formations of a cave, watching uniformed school children sit in tiny, sweltering classrooms without breaking a sweat, or negotiating for a gift for a family member at the local market -- and realizes that he or she is discovering a surprising and beautiful new world. It's not always easy for the youngsters of Project JAMAD to express all that they have taken in, but if you're there and watching, you will see it in their eyes. This year Willie, Tyrone, Ari, Akeem, Nathaniel, and Kevin had the experience of a lifetime visiting schools, meeting Jamaican school children, riding on a boat down the Black River, chasing crabs on the beach, hiking in the Jamaican hills and learning about the native plants and their healing powers. These are memories that help shape a young life and remain with them forever. How fortunate Madison is to have these thoughtful young Project JAMAD travelers. |
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| Project JAMAD trip to Jamaica Touching the heart By Andrea Weiss The global economy, internet, and international travel as common as a trip to the grocery store have made our world smaller -- unless you're a student at Lincoln School in Madison who has been selected to travel to Jamaica with Project JAMAD. To these kids, Jamaica was a long way away and cultural comparisons were not easily made-- until now. Project JAMAD was conceived by the late Dr. Zachary Cooper in 1994, and co-directed by Dr. Cooper and Joyce Boggess, owner and director of the Early Childhood Learning Center, until Dr. Cooper passed late last year. Designed to provide each young student with an enriching cultural, educational, and exciting travel experience, participants develop an appreciation of the differences and similarities in culture, religion, tradition, government and other aspects of life in Jamaica during a week-long stay on this beautiful island. There are now more than 100 Project JAMAD alumni. This year, each of the six young travelers was asked to reflect upon their visits to three elementary schools -- Sir Clifford Campbell Elementary School in Savanna LaMar, Pell River Primary School, and Norwell Preparatory School in Grange Hill and record their observations and reactions for |