Most of our stories about the long summer vacation feature students frolicking in water for swimming classes or catching up in classroom through tutoring sessions. Tonight we promise it's a different story. It is a story about students who've taken the initiative and left their comfy couches and basketball courts behind to do something that will ensure they will be able to return to school in September. Keith Swift has the story.
Keith Swift Reporting,
It is third week of summer and most students are probably enjoying it in front of the television or away at camp. But today we met a group of youths who are spending their summer working…….and when I say working I am talking about in a office, I am talking about out there.
Richard Jones, Student
"We've been painting and cleaning up yards and things."
Winston Pratt, Student
"We are just having fun right now and we are just trying to make a difference."
Winston Pratt and Richard Jones are two of twenty teenagers, both male and female, spending these hot summer days painting houses, mowing lawns, raking debris, and hauling heavy loads of garbage. These youths say the money they are making out here will get them back into school in September.
Winston Pratt,
"I am out here because I don't have anything to do right now and I just want to make a little money so I could help my mom."
Sharilee Myvett, Student
"I am having fun with my friends and you are making a good salary. I
need help with my schooling and my materials for school. That is why I chose to be a part of this."
Kimberly Arnold, Student
"I am out here to just help."
Keith Swift,
Why did you decide to be a part of it?
Richard Jones,
"Because like I want to help out my mother to help me pay my school fees and things."
The project is the brainchild of Melvin Hewlett. He says these teenagers needed jobs and the area needed a facelift.
Melvin Hewlett,
"Growing up in an area like this I realized that summer time is a time where our youths are out of school and with the high crime rate in Belize, I
took the initiative to seek out a program like this where we'll go around and in accordance with the 25th anniversary of our independence, we will highlight the houses and have the youths work for a small stipend that they can put towards their school supplies and their school books."
Keith Swift,
This isn't fun, how did you get these kids to go along?
Melvin Hewlett,
"Some or most of them are underprivileged youths and without a question they welcome the idea. No one wants to be out here in the sun but it is something that they can do to help themselves."
And youths don't seem to mind, after all they say they gave up the couch and the basketball court to be out here working.
Keith Swift,
If you weren't doing that what would you have been doing?
Winston Pratt,
"Right now? I would have been playing basketball. I am a basketball star then."
Sharilee Myvett,
"I don't know what I would have been doing because right now I would maybe be watching TV, just sitting doing nothing."
Richard Jones,
"Probably playing basketball and thing."
20 youths are currently employed. Hewlett says right now the program is limited to the Fort George Division but he hopes to expand it. We should note that Hewlett is receiving funding from the Prime Minister who is the area's representative. He won't say how much is the budget but stressed hat it is not political.
7NEWS produced for broadcast by News Director Jules Vasquez
Edited and Prepared for the internet by Keith Swift
