Inspirational gifts for Bethel Town Primary, Maud McLeod High

Western Bureau:

A personal childhood experience has come full circle for Olga Stewart-Nelson, a principal of adult education with New York City (NYC) Public Schools District 79, who recently returned to Jamaica to perform an act of goodwill.

“I am here to distribute school supplies to students who are impacted by Hurricane Melissa,” Stewart-Nelson told The Gleaner, explaining that her visit was driven by both professional responsibility and deep personal history.

District 79 is the alternative schools district of NYC Public Schools, providing second-chance education to adolescents and adults. Stewart-Nelson is one of eight adult education principals within the district.

Her motivation stems from her own childhood experience following Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, which left her family homeless.

“We lost our house, we lost everything, and it was difficult for me to re-engage in school because I just didn’t have the supplies,” she said. “So I felt the need to really make a difference in the lives of students who are struggling or impacted by this hurricane.”

Stewart-Nelson visited Jamaica in December 2025, shortly after Hurricane Melissa struck, and said the devastation she witnessed resonated deeply.

“When I visited, I really saw the depression on the face of the people,” she said. “I see rebuilding efforts now, and I see people being a little more friendly, but there’s severe impact still there.”

Through the support of her superintendent, colleagues, students, family, and friends, Stewart-Nelson mobilised the District 79 community to collect five barrels of school supplies. The items were distributed to students and teachers at the Bethel Town Primary School and Maud McLeod High School.

DELIBERATE SELECTION

The selection of these schools was deliberate, as Stewart-Nelson says that her brother lives in the Bethel Town community, which was severely affected by the hurricane.

“When I visited, he lost his roof and he was so depressed,” she said. “I said, what else could I do beyond helping my family? So that’s why I chose this community.”

She noted that Bethel Town Primary is still without electricity and continues to face significant infrastructural challenges, though community spirit is gradually improving.

“It’s going to take time, but I see the difference in their spirit now,” she said. “They are collaborating and working together to really bring back the community.”

For Stewart-Nelson, the initiative goes beyond donating supplies, as she hopes it will help students remain engaged in their education and understand the power of community support.

“The main thing is for the students to be able to continue their learning, to kind of fill that gap,” she said. “And for them to see that it takes a community, whether you are close or far, to really invest in their achievement.”

She added that despite educational disruptions, students she interacted with still held strong ambitions.

“They do have high aspirations,” she said. “Despite the setback in education, their dreams were not shattered.”

MAJOR BOOST

At Maud McLeod High School, principal Beverley Feare expressed gratitude for the initiative, describing it as a major boost for both students and teachers.

“When we started, we did this with our students, but it was from our own pockets, so we were not able to do it on such a wide scale,” Feare said. “But with this initiative and this partnership, all our students were able to leave with something today.”

Feare highlighted how essential the supplies are to daily school life.

“Our students are always asking for pens,” she said. “I’m sure today they would have received excess pens and pencils, crayons. This is something that will help with their academic journey.”

Maud McLeod High was among the schools badly affected by Hurricane Melissa, losing sections of its roof and key facilities.

“We lost a number of our roofs.” Feare explained. “We had to be creative ... but school is operating full-day.”

She also commended her teaching staff, many of whom were personally affected by the hurricane.

“From the 55 of us, 38 teachers lost roofs,” she said. “And while they are recovering, they are really reaching out to the students. Teachers go beyond.”

Feare described the donation as timely and impactful.

“This magnitude of resources is really a boost,” she said. “When she reached out to me, I didn’t know it would have been this big.”

Stewart-Nelson also says that the visit reaffirmed her lifelong connection to education in Jamaica.

“School was the place that made a difference for me. It was a safe haven,” she said. “I feel like students need to experience that.”

As Jamaica continues to recover from Hurricane Melissa, Stewart-Nelson hopes the initiative will stand as a reminder that support can come from anywhere and that shared experience can spark meaningful action.

“It takes a community,” she said, “and I wanted to make a difference in that way.”

mickalia.kington@gleanerjm.com