EXECUTIVES and team members from First Heritage Co-operative Credit Union Limited (FHC) exchanged their offices for the classroom during April 28 to May 4 in a bid to promote literacy in schools.
At the helm of this initiative was FHC's CEO, Basil Naar. The CEO led the contingent which included general managers, assistant general managers, branch managers and other team members who went to schools in Kingston and St Andrew, St Catherine, Clarendon, Manchester and St James.
Eight of the 30 schools targetted were visited in conjunction with the Jamaica Reading Association (JRA), while the remaining schools were members of FHC's Young Ones United in Thrifty Habits (YOUTH) programme. More than 90 schools participated in the YOUTH programme which seeks to promote healthy savings habits at an early age.
"At the schools the team members hosted various reading sessions. In addition to that, students were able to participate in trivia games and had the opportunity to win prizes. We targeted grade two and three students, aged seven to 10 years old, and on an average read to classes as large as 50 students," explained Juven Montague Anderson, Assistant GM, marketing & communications.
The FHC literacy initiative began in March with the launch of their 'Today a Reader...Tomorrow a Leader' book drive which mobilised FHC team members, credit union members and the wider public to donate books that were given to select schools during Reading Week.
Partners Kingston Bookshop and the Nathan Ebanks Foundation, an organisation which focuses on children with special needs and education, were among the largest donors to the book drive. First Heritage will also be donating $50,000 to the JRA in aid of their literacy enhancement programme at YMCA, which seeks to help inner-city youth to learn and improve their reading skills.
During the week, celebrated locally as National Reading Week, the FHC team members read, donated books and shared their skills with children at some 30 preparatory and primary schools across the island.
Basil Naar, CEO, First Heritage Co-operative Credit Union (FHC), reads with students from Melrose Primary School at a recent reading session conducted by the Jamaica Reading Association and FHC.
Carlene Coley, marketing officer, First Heritage Co-operative Credit Union, spends some time with some grade one students from Melrose Primary School.
    Basil Naar, CEO, First Heritage Co-operative Credit Union (FHC), reads with students from Melrose Primary School at a recent reading session conducted by the Jamaica Reading Association and FHC. #slideshowtoggler, #slideshowtoggler a, #slideshowtoggler img {filter:none !important;zoom:normal !important}  1/2  |
Eight of the 30 schools targetted were visited in conjunction with the Jamaica Reading Association (JRA), while the remaining schools were members of FHC's Young Ones United in Thrifty Habits (YOUTH) programme. More than 90 schools participated in the YOUTH programme which seeks to promote healthy savings habits at an early age.
"At the schools the team members hosted various reading sessions. In addition to that, students were able to participate in trivia games and had the opportunity to win prizes. We targeted grade two and three students, aged seven to 10 years old, and on an average read to classes as large as 50 students," explained Juven Montague Anderson, Assistant GM, marketing & communications.
The FHC literacy initiative began in March with the launch of their 'Today a Reader...Tomorrow a Leader' book drive which mobilised FHC team members, credit union members and the wider public to donate books that were given to select schools during Reading Week.
Partners Kingston Bookshop and the Nathan Ebanks Foundation, an organisation which focuses on children with special needs and education, were among the largest donors to the book drive. First Heritage will also be donating $50,000 to the JRA in aid of their literacy enhancement programme at YMCA, which seeks to help inner-city youth to learn and improve their reading skills.