In late 2019 Covid-19 was a topic in conversation across the United States, In January 2020, the nation was alerted of the outbreak of this terrible virus of which life across the globe has been altered.
Colleges and schools were on lockdown, and classes were conducted online for all students. This new routine has created hardship for many parents and guardians, having to supervise their kids while working from home.
It was the vision of Dr Clair Nelson that introduced an online educational forum that will engage students of all grades. Included on the list of activities were “Scratch Coding,” I was very impressed with the introduction of scratch coding. “ What is Scratch Coding? Scratch Coding is a visual online programming language that teaches kids how to code by creating interactive stories, games, and animations.” This particular lesson was scheduled for students 12 years and under and it fits perfectly into the Jamaica Diaspora NE Citizen Security community youth outreach program.
After a brief discussion, Dr Nelson and I agreed to add scratch coding to the community youth outreach program. However, it turned out that it wasn’t going to be as easy as we thought. Finding affordable scratch coding teachers became a challenge, as we traveled virtually across the globe searching for teachers.
After a few months of searching we found two teachers that had just completed one year of computer training at the Heart Academy in Jamaica. Having a detailed discussion with our scratch coding teachers about the program, It was time to Introduce it to the students that were all quarantined. Dr Karen Dunkley, Global Jamaica Diaspora Council Representative in 2020, immediately endorsed the concept, giving full support and engaging the Diaspora NE sectors leaders and think tankers for their support of the program. With the support of Dr Dunkley and the Diaspora NE sectors leaders and think tankers, ten refurbished desktops computers were donated to the Central Deliverance Tabernacle Church for the start of the Coding program in Savanna la-mar westmoreland.
Scratch Coding has created an impact not only in Jamaica but also in the Caribbean Island of Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and St Lucia, thanks to the collaborating support of President Andrew Sharpe and Authentic Caribbean Foundation, Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) and Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) was added to the Coding program.
The Global Jamaica Diaspora Council Representative baton has changed. However, the momentum of the Diaspora NE Citizen Security community youth outreach Scratch Coding program has not changed. Thanks to Ms Michelle Tulloch-Neil, Global Jamaica Diaspora Council Representative for the NE USA. Ms Tulloch-Neil has taken the program to another level, Identifying the need of computer in schools in the underserved communities in Jamaica, Ms Tulloch-Neil has seek the assistance of her church community, with their support she was able to donate forty laptops to a total of seventeen basic and Infants schools for the Scratch Coding program.
As we look forward to the New Year, 2025, the Coding program will be one of the community youth outreach main computer classes, the need for technology is increasing in our everyday activities and It is equally important for our youth to educate themselves about technology.
As we look forward to the New Year, 2025, the Coding program will be one of the community youth outreach main computer classes, the need for technology is increasing in our everyday activities and It is equally important for our youth to educate themselves about technology.
We are asking for your support with our Community youth outreach Fundraising Raffle. Purchasing a Ticket will surely help to keep the Coding program to continue impacting the community
We are relying on your generosity to continue the community youth outreach coding program. To raise vital funds with our Fundraising Raffle tickets sale, we are offering attractive prizes. We are counting on your support.
Every purchase of a single ticket brings us closer to achieving our goal.
Thank you for your support.
Stafford Grant
Acting Chairman
Jamaica Diaspora NE Citizen Security Sector
1545 Ciara Drive, Bethlehem PA 18017
stafgrant1545@gmail.com
Ph. 484-767-4543
